FLIGHT OF THE CONDOR
by Jenny Lambert
Summary: A routine physical and a devious Galactor doctor combine to give Joe one bad day
1. Default Chapter

PART ONE: THE FLIGHT OF THE CONDOR ****

PART ONE: THE FLIGHT OF THE CONDOR

By: Jenny Lambert

Joe Asakura awoke to the beeping of his transpower band, and annoyed, buried his head under the pillow. It was 5 AM, and he was exhausted. More than anything he had hoped for a few good hours of uninterrupted sleep, but it would not come. Like a nagging alarm clock the band continued beeping, eventually rising him from his peaceful slumber.

__

"It's 5 AM. This better be good!"

"Hey Joe! I was just on my way out to do the mail run, and wanted to remind you about the ISO physical scheduled for today. Dr Nambu says to be there on time."

"Shit, I forgot! Man, I hate those ISO physicals. Guys prodding around looking at things other men aren't supposed to be looking at. Is it really all that necessary?"

"Nambu seems to think so, He says since our bodies are under constant stress we need them. It's for the better, you know."

"The better of what? I can tell you right now that I'm just fine, other than the fact I could use a little more sleep. Thanks to you, I see that isn't going to happen."

"Nope. If I have to get up, so do you."

"Why must we all suffer?"

"Because I'm your commander. Hey, I have to go. Talk to you later."

Joe yawned, stretched, and slowly crawled out of bed. He hated it when Ken called so early, and hated it even more when he was in a good mood after doing it. Making his way to the coffeepot, he cursed, realizing there was nothing left in the carafe. _"Damn! It's too early to make coffee. Oh well, guess I'll grab a cold one."_

He reached into the refrigerator for a beer, sighed, then put it back_. "It's too damn early for that too. Hell, it's too early for anything!" _Suddenly feeling irritable, he decided to make his way to the shower. It was mid-October, and the weather outside was growing cold as the winter season set in. Unfortunately for Joe, this meant his trailer water heater didn't keep water hot for very long. Curses emanated from within as the cold water cascaded off his body. _"Damn! I can already tell this is going to be a GREAT day. I've only been awake fifteen minutes, and it sucks already."_

Fumbling with a towel, he made his way back to the bedroom, where he quickly threw on some clothes. He was shivering from the cold, but strangely optimistic. _"I'm freezing, but at least I'm awake." _The thought of making something to eat sounded good, but he wasn't in the mood for dirtying any pots or pans. "_The Snack J should be opening up soon. I'll stop there and have Jun cook me up something."_

Closing and locking the trailer door behind him, he walked the two feet to his car. Joe was always mobile, so he had no garage, and on this particular morning, the car windows were completely iced over. He looked towards the sky hopelessly, asking for an answer. _"Why me? Tell me something good is going to happen today!"_

After stubbornly scraping a clear patch in the windshield a few inches long, just barely enough to see through, he got in the car and drove to the Snack J.

************

At the Snack J his luck didn't get much better. He arrived there just in time to see Ryu, Jun, and Jinpei sitting at the counter, each sipping a cup of fresh brewed coffee. _"I've been looking forward to a cup of your coffee all morning Jun. It's one of the reasons I'm here so early. That and I'm starving. Can I get some eggs and toast?"_

Jun smiled_, "Depends on whether or not you have any cash on you."_

He reached into his pocket to grab his wallet, and the obscenities started flying. Ryu, not wanting the young Jinpei to hear, covered his ears. _"We have virginal ears present Joe! Can you tone it down a bit?"_

Jinpei argued_, "I can take it Ryu! With Joe always around, my ears are the farthest thing from virginal." _

Most times Joe would have come back with some type of smart comment, but with the day already going sour, he opted against it._ " Sorry, but have you ever had one of those days? The kind where no matter what you do, nothing goes right? I'm having one of those days now. Hate to ask Jun, but I forgot my wallet at home, and…well…is my credit good this time?"_

She shook her head and laughed. _"You've been hanging around Ken too long. Sounds like he's been giving you some good lines to use on me."_

"I'm serious! And please don't insult me, I'm not like Ken. I HAVE money, and besides, when haven't I paid for something I owed?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Shaking his head in negativity, he put his hand to his forehead and sighed_. "Any other day maybe, but today…no, I don't think I want you to."_

"Tell you what. Since you seem to be having such a rotten day, it's on the house. Just give me a minute to whip it up."

"Thanks Jun. I owe you one."

As she walked away towards the kitchen, she muttered under her breath, _"One? Boy does he have a short memory."_

************

Half way through the eggs and toast, Ken arrived at the Snack J, much too nonchalant for Joe's liking. Sensing the growing irritation, Ryu signaled a warning as he walked past. _"Watch out for Joe. He's in rare form today."_

Half jokingly, Ken replied_, "Oh, Joe's still pissed off at me because I got him up early this morning._

Just as he finished the sentence, he was smashed in the jaw by Joe's fist. From the ground, he rubbed his jaw, angered by the sudden attack. _"What the hell did you do that for?" _Getting up, he charged, returning a blow to the side of Joe's head. _"It's because of this morning, isn't it? I can't believe you are being such a crybaby!"_

Joe, nearly out of control, grabbed his commander by the shoulders and threw him roughly against the wall. If the customers weren't curious about the fight before, they certainly were now. "_A crybaby? Now you're REALLY pushing it flyboy!"_

Just as Ken was about to retaliate, Jun stepped between them. It was clear she was furious, and both stopped mid-stride. _"If you want to fight like little children, take it outside! I've got a business to run, and besides, neither of you can afford to pay for the damages!"_

Nodding, then doing as they were told, they left the snack bar. Once outside, as if on cue, both began laughing, apologizing. _"Looks like your jaw hurts pretty bad Ken. Didn't mean to hit you quite so hard."_

"Hard? I barely felt it!"

Joe rolled his eyes_. "Yea sure. You should have seen the expression on your face!"_

"I was too busy looking at Jun's. We really outdid ourselves this time. Did you see how angry she got?

"Sure did. You know, one of these days she's really going to lose it."

"Definitely, and then we'll both be done for. There is no escaping the wrath of an angry woman."

Agreeing with the comment, Joe slapped his friend on the back, and the two of them started walking. "_So tell me, how did the physical go? Everything turn out ok?"_

"You're still worried about it?"

"I told you earlier I just don't like them, and I said..."

Ken cut him off. _"If it makes you feel any better, the doctor is a woman."_

A smile began to creep across Joe's lips. _"A woman? Why didn't you say this earlier?"_

"I don't know. But I have to tell you, she's absolutely…" He whistled, then started explained the doctor's features using hand gestures. It was rare for Joe to see his commander talk this way about anything, especially women. Jun had been trying for years to come on to him, but he was always too naive to notice it. This sudden show of emotion was amusing. "_…She even outdoes Jun, so you can imagine what I mean_." He paused, then looking at Joe's mischievous grin, wished he had bitten his tongue on the previous comment. "_Shit! Don't Joe! Don't tell Jun I said that! I will NEVER hear the end of it." _

Joe laughed, musing at his friend's embarrassment. _"Now I've got something to hold over your head, in case you try to pull rank on me again at 5:00 AM." _For some reason, he day was seemingly gettingbetter_. "You know, I'm suddenly looking very forward to this physical."_

************

The doctor was everything Joe had hoped for, and everything Ken had described. She was tall and slender, her hair long and black, and the eyes, a seductive blue, which brought out the best of her features. "_Hi, I'm Doctor Madison. And you are?"_

He couldn't keep his eyes off her body, and she was definitely enjoying it. _"Joe. Joe Asakura." _

"Asakura? Funny, you don't look Japanese. More like an Italian, or German. Where does the Japanese culture come from, your mother or your father?"

The question seemed sort of odd, and Joe didn't feel comfortable answering it. _"Neither", _he thought to himself, then quickly changed the subject. "_So Doctor, where would you like to start?"_

"By having you take off your shirt so I can begin examining you."

He was very forward, almost too blunt. "_Ok, but I must warn you. Prolonged exposure will eventually make you want me."_

She sighed, then brushed him off, verbally slapping him with her comment_. "I'm sorry, but this is business not pleasure. Also, I really don't have time for young men like yourself. I prefer my partners to be much more mature."_

************

As the doctor examined Joe, he felt a tinge of uneasiness in his chest. Though she was beautiful to look at, and seemed completely harmless, she had a way about her that brought about anxiety. She asked too many questions, most of them pointed.

__

"So, you're a stock car racer?"

"Yes, it's something I always dreamed of doing, and I'm very good at it." When it came to racing, Joe had a big ego, which was well deserved. At eighteen, he was one of the best drivers in the circuit, a huge accomplishment for someone so inexperienced. Those who knew Joe Asakura realized he didn't just love racing; he lived for it.

__

"What type of car do you drive, and what does it look like?"

"I drive a Nissan, a blue one." He left it at that, feeling no need to go into any more detail.

__

"I see. Do you do anything else besides car racing? I mean, do you have any other hobbies, besides trying to hit on older women?"

He flushed slightly, then regained control. _"Not really. Racing seems to take up most of my time."_

The doctor was becoming irritated, and rightfully so. Her duty was to pry out information, and her patient wasn't providing it. Instead, he was giving contrived answers to every question, and being extremely cocky about it. "_So, tell me about your parents. What were they like?"_

The knotting feeling inside Joe's stomach grew even more intense with the question. She was getting much too personal now, and it was time to turn the tables. _"Enough about me. Why don't we talk about you?"_

"You're the patient. I'm just trying to get to know you better."

His reply was very callous and condescending_. "Well I think there's just a little more to you lady. I think your job is much more than just giving me a physical. What's with all the personal questions?" _She said nothing, but her eyes expressed her feelings; she was nervous. "_Uh huh. Are you even a real doctor? And if you are, what did the Galactor pay you to join them?"_

"The Galactor? What are you talking about?"

"Cut the act! I'm no fool. It's obvious you're pissed because I haven't given you a straight answer to any of your questions. Just what exactly are you trying to get from me? Just come right out and say it, so we can get this over with."

She laughed, no longer able to control herself_. "I was warned about you, and they were right; you are good. We can do this the easy way or the hard way; I don't care. Either way I win. Do you really think you can beat us? It's a hopeless cause!"_

Joe took a deep breath. _"I knew she was too good to be true." _Turning, he attacked, punching the doctor under the chin, then throwing her body towards the wall. As she fell backwards, she reached for the instrument table, felt for the hypodermic needle, and grabbed Joe's arm. Before he could pull away she plunged the needle into his vein, releasing the fluid within.

He screamed in rage and threw another punch at the doctor's head, this time connecting with the side of her face. Then without hesitation, he pulled a feather shuriken and threw it. 

************

He was visibly shaken, yet felt unusually calm. _"What the hell was in that needle? Guess I better take it to Nambu to find out"_

Reaching towards the ground to retrieve the hypodermic, he felt the room begin to spin. Completely disoriented, he knelt down, shaking his head to regain his vision. Colors seemed to become less vivid, yet the fluorescent lights seemed to burn brighter with an overwhelming intensity.

Joe shaded his eyes from the brightness, and rose to his feet, shaking slightly. Forgetting about the hypodermic needle altogether, he left the office and headed down the corridor. As he walked aimlessly, his thoughts were jumbled; his mind was a complete blank. Already he had forgotten about the incident with the doctor, and he seemed unusually paranoid. With each creak and moan, he would spin wildly around, looking for the source of the intrusion. "_I can't let them get me. The Galactor cannot win!"_

Around the corner two men appeared; their presence was perceived as threatening. _"The green suits, the machine guns…it's the Galactor!" _With hisshuriken, he cut them both down, then laughed in triumph_. "You killed my parents, and so I avenge them."_

There was a sense of joy in killing those two people, and Joe's mind started thriving for it. _"Bring them all on! I'll take you down one by one. I'm Condor Joe, and no one can defeat me!"_

************

Growing impatient, Ken waited in the lobby outside the doctor's office. He was told to meet there at 2:15, and it was well over thirty minutes past that now. He had tried contacting Joe on the transpower band numerous times, but got no reply. _"What is he doing in there? Hopefully he's not getting MORE than a physical."_

After watching a few more minutes tick by on the clock, he got up and started pacing. The silence surrounding him felt heavy; he became even more edgy. _"Where the hell is he? He'd better still be in there, or else have one damn good excuse! I've been waiting here forever."_

He tried contacting Joe by the transpower band again, and received the same response. Now questioning himself, he contacted Jun. "_Hey, didn't Joe say to meet me here at 2:15?"_

"Yea, he did. Why?"

"His ass isn't here, which is good for him, because if it were, I'd be kicking it!"

"I haven't seen him since this morning. Why don't you just go in and see if he's left yet?"

"Uh…well…you know Joe. I didn't want to interrupt anything."

"KEN!" 

"Ok, Ok! I'll do it."

As he opened the door to the office, his mouth dropped open in shock. Doctor Madison lay near the wall, feather shuriken in her neck, surrounded by drying blood. "_What the…?" _Quickly he signaled to Doctor Nambu_. "Hakase, we've got a problem. I'm at Doctor Madison's office, the place where Joe was at earlier to get his physical and well…"_

"What is it Ken?"

"She's dead. Worse yet, Joe isn't here."

He paused, but the doctor could still sense Ken's panic. He waited for the boy to continue speaking, but there was only silence. _"Is there something else Ken?"_

"Yes, there is. I think she was killed by Joe."

************

Just a few minutes after Ken ended his transmission, Doctor Nambu arrived at the office. When his eyes gazed upon the body of Doctor Madison, his expression became grim. "_I just don't understand. Why did this happen?"_

"I don't know, but there's got to be something here that will help us sort this out."

As both he and Ken started searching around the room for evidence to help clear up matters, Ken started accessing the situation in his mind, trying to come up with some kind of plausible answer for Joe's reaction. _"What would make Joe do something like this? Maybe he found something out about this doctor. Maybe he's in trouble…." _He stopped the thought when a gleaming object wedged under the examination table caught his eye. He turned his attention to Doctor Nambu. "_What's that over there?"_

Doctor Nambu reached down, retrieved the hypodermic needle, and showed it to Ken._ "This may be the clue we're looking for. I'll take it down to the lab right now and have the contents analyzed. In the meantime, notify the others and inform them of the situation."_

"What should I tell them? Joe's gone crazy and killed someone?"

"Just tell them if they see him to report to either you or me right away. Stress the importance of finding him. I don't like the looks of this."

************

As the Doctor headed off to the lab with the hypodermic, two guards rushed toward him.

__

"Sir! There's two dead men down the hall to the right. It looks like they were killed with one of the weapons a member of your Science Ninja Team uses. You know, the feather things with the darts on the end."

"Shuriken?"

"Yea, those. They pierced the guard's necks, and blood is everywhere. It's awful!"

Doctor Nambu's eyes widened. Looking down at the hypodermic, his stomach muscles tightened, and he shivered slightly. A chill, followed by an overwhelming feeling of dread, spread throughout his body. _"What the hell is going on here? I think whatever is in this needle is going to reveal the awful truth to our problem. I just hope everything turns out ok, and nobody else gets hurt."_

************

Director Anderson drummed his fingers nervously on the desk as he listened intently. A special ISO satellite conference had been arranged to discuss the situation, and how to rectify it.

__

"It seems a member of the Science Ninja Team has gone bezerk. He's killed three and wounded two, both being critical."

"Director Anderson, what have you found out from Doctor Nambu?"

"His first in command found the body of Doctor Madison and notified him immediately. The two of them combed the office, discovering a hypodermic needle. As we speak Doctor Nambu is at the lab evaluating the substance within, and will give me an update as soon as the results come back."

"In the meantime, how do you plan on dealing with this Science Ninja Team member?"

The Director did not answer. He knew how ISO personnel usually handled these types of situations, and he hadn't wanted to think about it. Until he found out the cause of G-2's actions, he didn't know what to say.

__

"We understand your position, sir, being a friend of Nambu and all, but we have to consider facts here. Three are dead, and who knows how many more will die before it's over."

"We'd like to sympathize with your situation, Director Anderson, but some sort of defense tactic needs to be employed."

He suddenly felt vastly outnumbered, and completely overpowered. Whatever was said now probably wouldn't matter, so he bluntly responded to the attack. _"Gentlemen, it seems you all have agreed on one thing, so how do YOU propose we handle this?"_

"With all due respect, we'd like to send out a special force to hunt down this G-2. Their job will not be to harm him, unless absolutely necessary, but to subdue him until we can find out what is going on."

The Director sighed, knowing he was going against what he truly believed, but also knowing the others had a very valid point. _"Than it shall be done. I will dispatch the force to begin a search immediately."_

************

Doctor Nambu finished his analysis, his fears being confirmed. The needle contained a highly powerful hallucinogenic, and worse, a time-released poison. When injected, the delusions begin almost immediately, but the poison takes about eight hours before it does its job. The victim then experiences temporary paralysis and/or loss of vision, and possible cardiac arrest, due to the extreme paranoia.

He looked at the clock, which read 6:00 PM, then signaled Ken to explain the situation. _"We've only got three hours to find Joe and get him the anti-toxin. Take the team and begin a search."_

"Roger!"

"And Ken, there's one more thing. Director Anderson has informed me that a highly specialized force has been dispatched to hunt Joe down. Their intentions are not to harm him, except if absolutely necessary."

"Absolutely necessary? He's going to come at them guns blazing!"

"I know…"

"Well Hakase, it looks like we have a lot less time than three hours to find him. We'll do our best."

"Good luck, and be careful."

************

Ken used his transpower band to contact the others_. "Meet me in Hakase's office immediately. We have ourselves a mission." _Ryu and Jun arrived quickly, anxious to find out what was happening. Jinpei was not present, and Nambu questioned Jun as to his whereabouts.

__

"He's coming. Said he'd be a few minutes late."

"A few minutes could be too late. We'll have to start without him." The Doctor and Ken briefly explained Joe's situation, and what needed to be done.

__

"So, our mission is to split up and find Joe, right?"

Jun was nervous_. "What about the ISO team? If they find Joe first it's…." _She didn't finish, and her eyes welled up with tears. Ken put a comforting arm around her shoulder in an attempt to ease the tension. _"Nothing has happened yet. Let's not jump to any conclusions." _There was a moment of silence, then Jinpei chimed in over his transpower band. _"Hey guys, guess what? I found Joe!"_

They heard him call to Joe, and Jun, in a panic yelled, _"Jinpei, don't go near him! You don't understand!"_

"Understand what? Joe! Over here!"

She felt her heart beat faster, and looked helplessly to the others for answers. Ken noted the fear in her eyes and responded. _"Where are you Jinpei?"_

"Near the airplane hanger, why?"

"Get out of there!"

Jinpei replied, _"Aniki, you're being silly. Just stop it! I can handle this." _Deciding to become obstinate, he then turned off his transpower band.

************

Joe didn't know how he knew where to go; he just seemed all too familiar with his surroundings. He remembered his G-2 being somewhere near the airplane hanger, and knew he needed to get to it. _"I've got to get off this base. They are all hunting me down."_

The abnormal panic and hallucinations had grown worse, accompanied now by an occasional loss of feeling in his arms, which was irritating him. Instinctively turning right and approaching the hanger, he suddenly stopped, startled to hear his name. "_Joe! Over here!"_

He quickly panicked, grabbed a shuriken, and prepared to strike if necessary. The voice called again, this time closer, questioning_. "Joe?"_

"How do you know my name?"

"What do you mean Joe?" Jinpei took a step forward, watching his older brother's eyes, which appeared cold and distant. He notedthe defensive stance and the shuriken in his hand_. "Don't you recognize me?" _

Consumed by an intense rage, Joe grabbed the boy by the shoulders and threw him hard against the wall. Jinpei cried out in fear, _"Joe? Joe!"_

"How do you know my name?" 

He was frozen, unable to speak. Not receiving an answer Joe backhanded him. _"Answer me damn it! How did you find out my name?"_

"Joe, please, what's wrong with you?"

Joe screamed a few more obscenities, then kicked the boy hard in the ribs. Grabbing his pistol, he pointed it. _"I'll give you one more try before I blow your damn head off. How did you find out my name?"_

He was in shock, completely immobile and trying hard to understand_. "Joe, why?" _He heard the gun cock and began trembling; his eyes pleaded_. "Joe aniki, please."_

Something triggered in Joe's mind, and he suddenly stopped, lowering the gun. "_Jinpei? What the hell?"_

"Joe? What happened?" He rose quickly, then sensed something terribly wrong. Just as quickly as Joe's delusion passed, it returned. _"Galactor makes them younger every day doesn't he? Sorry kid, but I can't have you coming after me."_

Raising the gun again, this time not hesitating, he fired.

************

From the corner of his eye he saw movement, and with his pistol still in hand, he spun to the left. From out of the shadows two armed men appeared; Joe didn't heed them. His aim was true, and he killed both mercifully.

Behind him he heard another gunshot. Blinding pain tore across his right side and brought him to his knees. The sight of blood angered him, and he cried out defiantly, "_You won't take me down that easy!"_

Rising quickly to his feet, he ran towards the side hallway. He could hear them calling out his name, but he did not stop. "_Joe Asakura, we don't want to hurt you. Please put down your weapon and come with us."_

"Over my dead body!"

Joe looked down at his side, and was surprised to see that blood had already soaked through his shirt. He felt nauseous, and what was left of his sanity was leaving quickly. "_Shit! I've been cut off from my car, and now I've been shot!"_

His hand crept down into his pant's pocket, and smiling, he pulled out a handful of small explosives. "_It's time I finished the job. If they want to take me out fine. I'll just return the favor by blowing up the damned base!"_

Laughing, he took off down the corridor, a trail of red droplets leaving their mark behind him.

************

When the rest of the team got to the airplane hanger, they were stunned. Jun ran to the wounded Jinpei, while Ryu and Ken went to help the ISO agents.

__

"Jinpei! Are you ok?"

He was still visibly shaken, his eyes non-focused, in a state of shock. _"Onechan, Joe shot me in the leg. It hurts!"_

"It's ok Jinpei. Joe's not himself. Something is wrong with him, and we have to help him before he hurts anyone else."

Unable to register what Jun was saying, he repeated himself. _"He tried to kill me. He hurt me Onechan. I begged him to stop, and then he shot me." _

Jun pulled his body close; her arms tightened around him and tried to ease the trembling. She was crying, and as a result, Jinpei cried also. _"Those men over there. He shot them too. And over there, another one…" _His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes, fully aware the Jun was shushing him. _"It'll be ok Jinpei. Everything will be fine."_

"…Onechan, those men shot Joe. He's hurt and needs help. I saw it."

Slowly rocking back and forth, Jun watched reassuringly as the boy drifted off to sleep. Lowering her head, she kissed him lightly on the forehead. _"Don't worry. Ken and Ryu will take care of everything. You'll see." _

************

From across the room Ryu signaled to Jun, concerned_. "Is he alright?"_

She spoke quietly, as not to startle the sleeping Jinpei_, "Joe shot him! I can't believe it. And he said Joe's wounded pretty bad himself."_

Ryu relayed the news to Ken, who became completely frustrated; his voice reflected it_. "Damn it! I told Hakase this would happen! We've got one dead over here…"_

Jun interrupted_, "…and there's two more dead over here. How can we stop him if he can't even recognize who we are?"_

Ken ignored the question, simply because he didn't have an answer. He had known his second in command since age eight, and trusted him fully. Now, as he looked on at the death surrounding him, he feared for his own life, and the lives of others. "_Jun, I think you should stay behind with Jinpei, and let us go after Joe. It might be better if all of us didn't come at him at once."_

"I agree. Jinpei is pretty shook up, and I don't think we should leave him alone. He doesn't understand just yet…." She hesitated, then continued; her voice shook slightly. _"Guys, please be careful. Next time you see Joe, he might not be so merciful."_

************

Joe paused to catch his breath and to regain his sense of direction. The gunshot wound had weakened him, and if that wasn't enough, his vision was blurring, and his heart was racing wildly. As his eyes glanced nervously down the corridor, a darkened haze surrounded him, making the panic grow even more. _"I have to keep going. I can't let them find me."_

Willing himself to continue, he took a step forward, then his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground. His arms and legs felt like dead weight and his body began to tremble. _"What the hell is wrong with me?" _Voices could be heard around him, and visions of the Galactor began to appear from out of the darkness. _"They're on to me!"_

Grabbing a handful of shuriken, he threw them at the approaching Galactor. Then taking the pistol, he fired until he heard the click of the empty chamber. _"Damn, I'm out of ammo. Looks like I got them all though." _He quickly reloaded the gun, then looked up to register that he was completely alone in the hallway. The hallucination had passed, but the anxiety was growing stronger as his mind vainly tried to put the pieces together. _"I know I saw them! I heard their voices! Damn it, what's wrong?"_

Shaking his head, he tried desperately to clear the fog, but it was relentless. Anger and confusion began to fuel his desire, and staggering to his feet, he forced himself to continue. Leaning on the wall for support, he trudged onward towards the control center. _"I will complete my mission. I must destroy this base, even if it costs me my life."_

************

Ken and Ryu were not far behind. They had heard the shots and Joe's screams of protest, and became even more concerned. "_Ryu, Jinpei was right. Joe must be hurt badly. He's leaving a trail of blood behind."_

"Where do you think he's heading?"

"I don't know, but we have to get to him fast!"

"I know, but I'm afraid of what we're going to find. What are you going to do if he attacks you?"

Ken hadn't wanted to think about that. The idea of killing his best friend in self-defense seemed out of the question, but seeing Joe's reactions now, he had no choice but to consider it an option. "_I don't know. I can't kill him, especially if he doesn't even know who I am. He's just doing as he was trained. We'd all do the same."_

"I understand that Ken. Let me rephrase the question. What am **I** going to do if he attacks you?"

"Just watch my back, and help me out if you see I need it."

"Great answer! Looks to me like you will."

Ken looked disapprovingly at Ryu, then punched him lightly in the arm_. "Stop being so optimistic will you?"_

"Sorry, but of all the people to be pitted up against, why does it have to be Joe? He's insane when his mind is clear, so I can just imagine what he's like now!"

The comment was amusing, and Ken laughed_. "You're not saying you're afraid of Joe are you?"_

"Who isn't? All he has to do is give you that 'Condor Stare' and you know it's over. Hell, he doesn't need weaponry!"

"Yea, I see your point. Let's just hope he uses that stare when we get to him, and nothing else. I think both of us might survive then."

"Hey, who's being the optimist now?"

Ken looked at Ryu, suddenly very serious_. "We have to face it. Joe is the best fighter on the team, and he lives for vengeance. If he thinks we are the Galactor…well…"_

"Say no more. I know exactly where you're heading."

************

Hearing voices echoing down the corridor, Joe stopped, then fired a shot towards the unknown intruders. His voice was shaky and disconnected. _"You won't get me! I'll blow all of you straight to hell!"_

Ryu's eyes were full of questions. _"Uh oh. Now what do we do?"_

"I'll approach him slowly, completely submissive. You stay behind me and watch his movements. Let me know if he does anything unusual."

"Unusual? Isn't that sort of general? What if?…"

"Ryu, we've been through this already. Like it or not, we have to do something! I trust you. Just help me out ok?."

"Yea, ok, I guess. Here we go." Ken slowly approached Joe; his hands were raised in submission. _"Joe, its Ken. You know me, right? It's ok. I'm not armed."_

"I'll kill you all! Don't come any closer!" His hands were shaking as he pointed the gun at Ken's chest.

__

"Joe, listen to my voice. It's me, Ken. Put the gun down."

Joe fired the pistol again, missing the mark badly. The room's walls seemed to be closing in, and the fluorescent lights became unbearably bright. Shading his eyes, he cried out in confusion. _"What the hell did you do to me?"_

Ken took another step forward, trying hard to come across as non-threatening. _"Joe, I want to help you. Please let me…"_

"Get back! Get away from me!"

Approaching closer, Ken felt his stomach muscles tighten. He was putting his full trust in Joe, but in Joe's eyes, he was the enemy. _"Joe, please put the gun down. It's ok."_

"Never! I will never surrender to you."

He could clearly see now that Joe's vision was fluctuating; a look of panic reflected in his eyes. Feeling it to be an opportune moment, Ken charged. Reaching for Joe's arm, he tried dislodging the gun and was successful.

Joe retaliated by kicking Ken hard in the kneecaps, dropping him instantly. At the same time, he grabbed Ken's wrist and twisted hard; the bone snapped. Ken screamed in pain, then called out to Ryu, "_Don't just stand there! Help me!"_

Ryu stood frozen, watching in disbelief as the fight progressed. Joe took another shot at Ken, this time knocking him backward with a kick to his chest. _"You Galactor bastard! I'll kill you!"_

"Joe, stop! Ryu, do something!"

Seeing movement from the corner of his eye, Joe grabbed for a shuriken. At the same time, from the ground, Ken reached for his boomerang. _"Joe, please don't do this. I can't kill you. You know that."_

"Your loss then!" 

Joe tossed the shuriken at Ryu, and simultaneously, Ken threw his boomerang. The two weapons collided and landed harmlessly near Ryu's feet. Joe was livid. _"You think you've won, but you haven't. You will never defeat Condor Joe!"_

"Damn it Joe! I'm not trying to stop you. I'm trying to help you!"

Ignoring the remark, Joe picked up his gun and started running. Ken, surprised by the sudden retreat, turned to Ryu. _"Go after him! You've got the strength to stop him."_

"Ken, I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. I didn't…"

"Neither did I, but if something happens to Joe now, I'll never forgive myself."

"I know what you mean. One of us has to get through to him."

"You can do it Ryu. I know you can."

"I hope so Ken. I sure hope so."

************

Joe heard the footsteps behind him and quickened his pace. "_Shit! I have to get away. I…" _He gasped as a sharp pain in his chest nearly took his breath away. Feeling a sudden weakness in his legs, he fell, then realized he couldn't get back up. Time and again he tried, but his legs continued to give out, unable to hold his weight.

The footsteps came closer, and a breathy voice called out. "_Joe! Stop! Don't run away like this!" _Feeling helpless, Joe began crawling, trying to get distance between himself and his pursuer. It didn't take long before Ryu was standing over him. _"Joe? What's wrong? Are you ok?"_

Joe's eyes registered only fear, and he struggled to keep control. His body was beginning to convulse, and his chest felt like it was going to explode. He stammered a few words, then stopped, wincing in pain. "_Get away…"_

"Joe, I want to help you. Can't you see that?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm your friend, and you need help. Don't you recognize me? It's Ryu, the one Science Ninja Team member you have the most fun picking on." 

He extended his hand to Joe, but he pulled away, disbelieving. _"I won't let you have me that easy. You think I'm going to just fall into your hands?" _Without hesitation, he took his gun and pointed it at himself. _"You'll never be able to take me down. I'd rather die first."_

Surprised, Ryu's mouth dropped open. At first he hesitated, then blurted it out. _"You coward! Condor Joe would never die like this! He'd go down fighting, no matter what."_

"I'm finished. It's time I join my parents…the ones you helped destroy!"

"And what about Jinpei? You shot him and he doesn't understand! How do you think he's going to feel when he finds out you didn't have the balls to explain to him why?" 

Joe's eyes widened in anger, and forgetting about his weakened state, tried to attack. As he staggered to his feet, Ryu lunged at him and pinned his arms down in a bear hug. The grip was like a vice, and though he struggled, he could not break the hold. "_Get the hell off me! Let me go, you bastard!"_

Ryu could feel Joe's heart beating more and more rapidly as he continued to struggle, but he did not loosen his grip. "_Joe, I can't let go. Please try to calm down. It's ok."_

Joe's breathing became erratic, and his body began to shudder. Ryu became extremely nervous, fearing for the worst. Behind him he heard Ken's voice; he spoke softly. _"Joe, we need to get you to the hospital. You're going to be just fine, but you have to let us help you." _As he knelt down, he saw Joe turn away, unable to look him in the eyes. _"Ryu, let him go."_

"What? Are you crazy?"

"Just do it!"

Ryu released his grip, and shaking violently, Joe collapsed to the ground. "_Get it over with! What are you waiting for?"_

"Joe, look at me." His gaze remained unchanged, and Ken replied, more forcefully_, "Look at me!" _Again he did not respond, and Ken, becoming irritated, grabbed Joe's head and turned it towards his own. There was a minor struggle, but Joe just didn't have the strength to fight. 

Their eyes met, then stayed locked as Ken spoke. "_Remember when we were young, when you first came to stay with Hakase and me. You were having a nightmare about your parent's death, and I came to you. You pushed me away, saying I wouldn't understand, that no one could. You told me to leave; saying you didn't need anyone except yourself. I asked you why, and you said you didn't trust me enough to explain. I could have easily walked away then, but I didn't. I couldn't. Later that night you broke down and confided in me, and like I promised, I've never told anyone what was spoken between us. I'm asking you now as I asked you then to please trust me. I want to help you Joe."_

Confused, Joe looked towards Ryu, then back at Ken. Though he opened his mouth, no words came out. He saw Ken's hand come towards his shoulder, and he did not move. Closing his eyes, he tried to erase the visions, but they would not leave. The Galactor were everywhere, coming after him, hunting him down.

Ken repeated himself. _"Trust me Joe. I want to help you."_

"I see them. They're everywhere…coming after me. I have to get away."

He tried again to rise, but Ken's hand softly pushed him back down. _"When we were young, who said he'd always be there for you?"_

"Ken did. He told me once he's like my shadow. Just turn around and there he'd be."

"Let him be there for you now."

Joe looked at the pleading blue eyes, which were beginning to tear. Finally, the fog seemed to break. "_Ken?"_

"I'm here."

"Where are they? We have to stop them."

"It's ok Joe. They're gone now. Everything is ok now."

"No, Ken, they're still here. I see them." 

He wrapped his arms tightly around Joe's body, squeezing for reassurance. _"Shhh. Just close your eyes and they'll go away."_

Joe started squirming, quickly losing his self-control_. "Ken, we can't just sit here! They're coming!"_

"No one is there Joe. It's all in your mind."

"But…"

"Joe, please believe me."

"Ken, what the hell is wrong with me?"

He turned to Ryu._ "Can you go get help? Tell security we need a gurney, and to make it quick."_

Joe panicked_. "Don't go. Don't leave me here like this."_

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here. Ryu, can you do it alone?"

"Of course Ken, I'll go." He then looked at Joe_. "Listen to Ken. He won't let anything happen to you."_

Joe nodded in reply, then muttered two words before closing his eyes, allowing himself to relax in Ken's arms. _"I'm sorry."_

************

Shaking his head, Ken watched from the window as the doctor and aids tried to stabilize Joe. Family and friends were not permitted in the room during this time, and though Ken had insisted on it, they would not listen.

__

"He's not going to cooperate with you. He knows me. Let me stay with him."

"I'm sorry young man. We understand your concern, but we can't go against procedure. You'll have to wait outside, and we'll let him know you're watching from the window."

"Have it your way."

The aids tried holding Joe down to restrain him, but he broke free, then went wild. Within a few minutes the doctor was out in the hall asking Ken to come back in. "_Maybe it would be better if he knew you were there."_

He replied sarcastically. _"Didn't I say that? But did you listen? Nope."_

The doctor glared back, angered by the remark_. "It's not our normal procedure. Anyway, I must go now and hunt down a few new aids. Seems your friend decided to put my first two temporarily out of commission."_

"Yup. Told you that too…"

"I know you did! Now please, will you go into the room and calm him down?" 

************

As he approached his friend's bed, he didn't like what he saw. Joe uneasily pulled back, feeling threatened; the distant look was in his eyes again. "_You bastard, don't come any closer!"_

Ken obliged, then cursed under his breath. _"Damn that doctor! I just got him trusting me, and now he's freaking out again." _Speaking calmly, he tried to ease himself closer. _"Joe, it's me again. I won't leave you this time. I promise."_

"You're all the same. Every one of you!"

"What?"

"You pull me in, then when I'm close enough, you strike. You're all liars, manipulators, and I won't fall for it this time!"

"But I really do want to help you Joe."

"Like hell you do!"

Defensively, Joe rose from the bed, but his body's weakened state prevailed, and he succeeded only in falling to the floor cursing. Though Ken wanted to reach out, he stood motionless, not wanting to cause any more stress. More than ever he feared for his friend's life. _"Joe, please calm down. I don't know how much more you can take."_

There were voices behind him, and he acknowledged that the doctor had returned with two new aids. The sight was not very pleasant. _"What the hell?"_

"You told me to calm him down, but I can't. He's relapsed and thinks I'm trying to harm him."

At the sight of the new intruders, Joe began screaming at the top of his lungs. _"You can't have me. I won't let you win!"_

The two new aids exchanged surprised glances, then looked at the doctor, who quickly explained. _"We need to get him restrained and sedated. He has been injected with a highly hallucinogenic and poisonous drug, and right now he's delusional. He thinks everyone is out to get him."_

Nodding in understanding, the two aids did as they were told. Approaching Joe, each grabbed one of his arms and started pulling him towards the bed. He thrashed around wildly, but was too exhausted this time to break their hold. 

Once restrained, Joe angrily fought to free himself, but soon found it futile. He watched with reluctance as the doctor and aids hooked up an EKG to monitor his heart rate, then inserted an IV into his arm. As all this was going on, Ken stood nearby, completely silent. Joe occasionally looked over at him, and he couldn't help but notice the extreme hatred that flashed in his friend's eyes. 

He struggled again with the restraints, and the aids, ignoring his protests, pushed him back down on the bed. Over and over they tried to calm him. _"Just lie still and relax. We've got everything under control."_

"I can see that damn it, now let me go!"

"Everything is going to be ok. We'll get you through this."

Joe felt his breathing become short and more rapid, and the annoying numbness in his arms and legs returned. Though he said nothing to indicate how he was feeling, the aid could tell by the sudden limpness that something was wrong. _"Son? You alright?"_

He remained silent for a moment, then a sharp, stabbing pain in his chest made him cry out. His body started convulsing, then abruptly became rigid and motionless. All eyes turned to the EKG monitor, which fluctuated a few times, then flatlined.

************

He was finally at peace. The sun shined warmly off the sand beneath his feet, and it felt absolutely wonderful. He had no idea where he was, but he didn't care. All that mattered what that he was completely at ease.

In the distance, he saw two figures coming towards him. At first glance he thought his eyes were playing tricks again, but after doing a double take, he rose excitedly and ran to them. "_Mother! Father!" _He felt their firm embraces, a touch he hadn't felt in over ten years.

__

"Georgio, my how you've grown!"

"You've made me proud, my son." 

"I can't believe I'm standing here with you. Nothing will separate us again." Tears of sadness filled his parents' eyes, and Joe became confused. "_What is it?"_

"Son, you can't stay with us. You need to go back."

"Why? I want to stay here with you."

"Your friends need you. You must help them defeat the Galactor."

"But I don't need them. All I need is you. I don't care any more about the Galactor. The rest of the team can handle it without me."

"And what about Ken? I don't think you realize how much you mean to that boy."

"Ken's not a baby. He'll get over it!"

"You're wrong, son. Right now he desperately needs you to come back. He doesn't want to lose his brother."

"I'm NOT his brother!"

"Yes Joe, you are."

************

The doctor and aids repeatedly tried to revive Joe, but their attempts were unsuccessful. The EKG continued to register no sign of life, and as Ken watched intently, his hopes were slowly diminishing. Turning away, he closed his eyes and tried hard to focus his mind on something else. It was impossible; he didn't have to watch to know what was happening. The monotone beeping of the EKG monitor was enough to remind him.

__

"Make it Joe. I know you can pull out of this."

************

The voice was familiar, and when he turned towards it he couldn't believe who he saw. The Red Impulse captain, Kentaro Washio, was there, and Joe immediately tore into him. _"What the hell are you doing here?" _

Looking at Joe's parents, Kentaro questioned, _"Guess this is as good a time as any to tell him. You want to or should I?"_

"I think it's best for you to tell him. It's going to be quite hard to deal with."

Joe was completely puzzled and impatient for an explanation. _"Tell me what?" _Kentaro approached him, warmly, yet cautiously. It wasn't going to be easy at all to make the boy understand, but he would try his best. _"Joe, I'm your father."_

His eyes widened in anger and disbelief_. "Bullshit! How dare you call yourself anyone's father! Do you realize what you put Ken through? You walked out on him when he needed you the most, and never even told him why. At the least he deserved an explanation."_

Joe's mother intervened_. "We've not talking about Ken right now. We're talking about you. Did you hear what Kentaro just told you?"_

"Yes damn it, I heard, but I don't believe it..." 

************

The screams echoed throughout the room, startling the doctors, aids, and Ken. _"It's bullshit! It can't be!"_

Another sedative, along with cardiac medications, was inserted into the IV, while the doctor continued issuing orders. _"We're not out of this yet. We need to get him stabilized! His heart rate is still irregular and dropping fast. Where's Doctor Nambu? We need that anti-toxin!"_

Joe began fighting the doctors; he pleaded for them to stop, _"Damn it, don't try to save me. Just let me die!"_

Ken's face paled as he heard Joe's words, and a feeling of Déjà vu came over him. This incident was turning out exactly as it had ten years earlier, before he and Joe had met. Only then, it had been Ken who was begging to die.

One of the aids tried placing an oxygen mask over Joe's nose and mouth, but he struggled, refusing any assistance. _"Stop! I want to die!"_

"Please calm down. Your friend is standing right over there. Can you see him?" The aid motioned for Ken to come closer, and he approached the bed. _"Your friend has been here the whole time, and he's worried about you."_

Joe looked over at Ken, whose eyes were wet with tears. He grabbed hold of Joe's hand and squeezed tightly. _"Joe, I know how you feel, but you don't really want to die."_

"Please make them stop. My only reason for living is vengeance, and I can't go on like this. I don't want to."

"What about me? Am I not good enough to make you want to live?"

Ken received a reply, but it wasn't what he expected. Closing his eyes, Joe flinched as the pain in his chest overcame him. He squeezed Ken's hand as if to say, _"I'm sorry",_ then his grip went limp. 

__

"Joe?" The EKG monitor flatlined again, and Ken cried out in shock. _"Shit! Joe, come back!" _

The doctor pushed him aside. _"I'm sorry son, but you need to step back and let us have some room." _He did as he was told, and feeling weak, dropped to his knees, sobbing.

************

Joe glared at his mother. "_Look, I've had enough of this shit. What the hell is going on?" _She remained silent, and in frustration, he turned on Kentaro and punched him in the mouth. _"What did you mean when you said you were my father?"_

"Just that, I am your father."

He tried to throw another punch, but Kentaro deflected it and flipped him to the ground_. "You and Ken are so alike. Neither of you know when to quit."_

Joe stayed down, but he was fuming_. "Damn you! Stop it with the innuendoes. Are you going to give me an explanation or what?"_

"Ok, here it is. Nineteen years ago your father first decided to defect from the Galactor. I was sent out to get the information from him, and it was then that I met your mother. She was lonely and feared for her life, and needed someone to comfort her, to be with her. I obliged"

"You WHAT?!"

Kentaro ignored the comment and continued_. "Your father found out what happened, and in anger, broke off our agreement. Eight years later, he came to me again. At this time he had an eight-year-old son, whose name was…"_

"Don't even say it! NOT Georgio Asakura."

"Georgio Asakura. Following me now?"

Their voices were beginning to fade, their images becoming more distant. _"Wait! We're not finished yet!"_

"There's nothing left to tell. Your brother needs you now Joe. He has issues that only you can help him work out. Go to him, and tell him his father loves him. Tell him I understand."

****

END OF PART ONE


	2. Chapter Two: The Identity Crisis

PART TWO: THE IDENTITY CRISIS ****

PART TWO: THE IDENTITY CRISIS

By: Jenny Lambert

As the EKG began to fluctuate, a heavy sigh filled the room. It seemed like it would never happen, but Joe finally stabilized. He was still mumbling incoherently, and this brought Ken back to the bedside. Turning to the doctor, he asked politely. _"Can I have a few minutes with him alone?"_

The doctor hesitated, then nodded. _"I'll give you five minutes, but if anything starts going wrong, don't expect us to stay out."_

Ken agreed, and the doctor and aids left, closing the door behind them.

__

"Joe? Please answer me honestly. You don't really want to die do you?" It was obvious that Ken was irritated; something deep inside was prying at his emotions, trying to get out, but he was holding it back. Joe remained silent, but the lack of emotion in his eyes was enough to push him over the edge. _"Give up then, you bastard!" _Angrily, he removed Joe's restraints, all the while cursing and screaming. _"Go ahead and do it Joe. Kill yourself! Don't let me stop you!"_

Shocked by the words he was hearing, Joe remained motionless. He watched silently as Ken paced back and forth, hardly able to control himself. Seeing his friend's confused stare only increased the rage, and he threw a punch at the wall. _"What the hell are you waiting for? Get it over with now!" _His eyes were beginning to tear again, but he pushed the feelings aside. The last thing he wanted Joe to see was that he was crying. 

Joe didn't know how to react, but he desperately wanted to know what had happened to make Ken so livid. _"Ken, look, whatever I said…"_

"Shut up! You've said too much already!"

"Too much? Ten minutes ago I was dead, or have you forgotten that already?"

"No I haven't forgotten! Why do you think I'm so pissed off?"

In bewilderment, Joe shook his head. He mumbled something to himself, which made Ken glare at him. _"Dear God, please tell me I'm not really a Washio. I don't think I could take it!"_

"What did you just say about me?"

"I said you're making no sense, and you're driving me crazy!"

"I'm driving YOU crazy?"

Doctor Nambu's voice interrupted; he was eyeing both suspiciously. _"Is there a problem?"_

Joe nodded yes, then smiled. _"Ken just told me to kill myself."_

Ken did not return the smile, and the Doctor noted his angry expression. He knew deep down, for some reason, the boy was battling a lot more than anger. _"Ken, Joe needs time to relax. Let's not go too hard on him just yet ok? Let me at least get this anti-toxin in him first."_

"You have no idea…"

"Not now! Joe doesn't need this. Go outside and cool it off. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you."

Not in the mood for a lecture, Ken replied while walking away, _"Yea, whatever."_

As he slammed the door behind him, Joe looked towards Doctor Nambu. _"What's up with him? Was it something I said?"_

"I'm sure it was."

"Ok. Care to elaborate on that? A further explanation would be greatly appreciated. Why'd he freak out on me?"

"I can't tell you. You'll have to let him tell you when he's ready."

"Man, I'm confused! Ready for what?"

"Just give him time to clear his head, and he'll come back and explain. Now, enough of this, I need to get this anti-toxin in you."

Joe sarcastically replied, "_Yea, whatever."_

************

As the Doctor inserted the anti-toxin into the IV, Joe's mind reflected on his earlier experience; the vision, if that's really what it was. Lately, he really wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't. All he knew was there were too many questions he wanted to ask Doctor Nambu, but he didn't know how to begin.

__

"Hakase, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"It's about Ken. Is he my brother? I mean, REALLY my brother?"

The doctor paused, taken aback by the question. His mind began trying to understand where Joe even got such an idea. _"How did he know to ask about it? How did he find_ _out, and who told him?"_ He knew the truth could not be known, not as long as both were members of Gatchaman, so he opted to work around the question. _"Well, you and Ken are brothers in a sense. You've been together since age eight and I'm your guardian."_

Joe was not convinced by the answer. Doctor Nambu was good at many things, but lying was not one of them. _"That's not what I mean, and you know it. Let me ask it another way. Is Kentaro Washio my father?"_

Once again, the Doctor tried avoiding the question by asking one himself. _"Why would you think Kentaro Washio is your father?"_

"Why do you keep avoiding my questions?

"I'm not. It's just really odd of you to ask such a thing. I guess I'm trying to figure out where this idea came from."

"It's going to sound strange, but he told me himself. He said he had an affair with my mother, and I was a result of that affair."

"What? He told you?"

"Well, yea. He told me my parents would have defected from Galactor eight years earlier had the affair not happened."

Doctor Nambu was completely surprised with what he was hearing. The boy not only had an idea of who his father really was, but also how it had happened. Words were coming to mind he could not express aloud. _"Thanks Kentaro! Now I really do have to come up with something good to tell Joe. Still testing my patience even in death aren't you?"_

He could almost hear Kentaro's laughter, and he smiled. _"Joe, you were injected with a highly hallucinogenic and poisonous drug, which affected your mind. You were delusional. These effects were with you, and will continue to be with you, until that anti-toxin I gave you starts working. A lot of things are going to seem real, but they are not." _

"But it was clear as day. It had to have happened!"

"Seeing Kentaro may have seemed real to you, but I can assure you, it wasn't. It was just another hallucination. I can fully understand though why you would want such a thing to be true. Ken and you are very close, and he cares for you deeply. It's very easy to consider yourselves true brothers."

"Think he's still upset with me?"

"Ken never was upset with you. He's upset with himself."

"You know why he acted the way he did?"

"I do, but like I said before, it's up to him to explain it to you. Let's just say I take part of the blame. There is quite a lot I discouraged him from ever talking about."

"Hakase, tell him to come to me. I once confided in him, and now I want him to be able to confide in me. Can you do that?"

"Yes Joe, I can do that. Don't expect him to come right away, but I'm sure he will come. There's a lot more to Ken than you realize, and I think it's time he let it go."

  
************

Before leaving the hospital, Ken stopped off at the desk to pick up Joe's car keys, then proceeded to take out the G-2. Why he did it was anyone's guess. After driving around aimlessly for hours, he decided to go to Joe's trailer. 

More than anything he wanted to sleep, but as soon as he closed his eyes, the nightmarish visions of reality began. 

**__**

He was alone, helpless, and crying inside; All he wanted was to be released from his own personal torment. The answer stood before him, but did he have the courage? It was the only way; it had to be done. There was the blur of numerous gunshots, pain in his head and chest, then with the darkness came peace.

He awoke screaming; the chill from his body's sweat made him shiver. His throat felt like sandpaper, and cursing aloud, he headed to Joe's refrigerator for something to drink. "_Damn it Joe! Why won't you let me help you? Don't I matter at all?"_

There was nothing left in the refrigerator except beer, and sighing, he absent-mindedly took one and downed it. Everyone who knew Ken also knew he never drank alcohol, so he was surprised himself when he finished the can so quickly. So surprised, in fact, he opened up another one. 

Six beers later he felt absolutely miserable, and headed back to the bed. His head was spinning, and he felt like vomiting. _"Great Ken, you fool. This isn't helping."_

His eyes wandered around the room, then stopped at the sight of Joe's pistol, which was lying on the counter. For some reason, he was drawn over to it. Picking it up, the gun felt heavy, yet strangely satisfying in his hands. Opening the barrel, he noticed it was loaded. He hadn't expected anything less. _"I haven't held one of these since…"_

Not finishing the thought, and letting his drunken stupor consume him, he pulled the trigger, aiming at the beer cans that were left on the table. Both shots missed, one hitting the wall, the other shattering the back window. Realizing what he had just done, he dropped the gun, trembling. _"What the hell are you doing Ken? How are you ever going to explain this one?"_

He was angry at himself, mostly for losing control, and also because he was drunk. _"Damn it Ken, you're worthless. You can't expect to help Joe, not when you can't even help yourself." _Something about the gun was making him uneasy. Glancing down, he felt the painful memories returning again. _"I don't want to deal with this right now!"_

Turning to the mirror beside Joe's bed, he smashed his fist into it, hoping the pain would stop the visions. It worked, and as he looked down at his bleeding fist, he screamed again at himself, then started crying.

************

The shuffling in the doorway startled Joe awake, and he called out in the darkness. _"Who's there?" _He tried raising himself, then remembered he was restrained, and cursed. _"Answer me! Who's there?"_

The approaching figure tripped, then cried out as he fell to the ground with a thud. Joe recognized the voice immediately, though it sounded slightly different than usual. _"Ken, that you? What the hell?"_

"Yea, it's me, or part of me anyway."

"What are you doing? I'd get the lights, but well…I can't."

"That's ok. The lights will hurt my eyes. I'm very content in the dark."

It was very hard for Ken to speak, and his words were slurring. Joe picked up on his condition real quick. _"Ken? Are you drunk? Sure sounds like it."_

"Unfortunately yes, and it sucks."

"Can I ask why?"

"I've had a…bad night."

"Want to talk about it?"

"I really don't think you want to hear."

"Try me."

Ken paused, not sure how he was going to explain. The destruction to Joe's trailer might blow over, but he didn't want to mention how he dented the fender of the G-2. _"Well, I took your car out."_

Joe interrupted immediately. _"What? Before or after you got drunk?"_

"Before, and then after I left your trailer."

"My what? What were you doing there?"

"Getting drunk on your beer. Then I shot your pistol at the cans I left on the table and missed, breaking a window. All this happened before I got mad and punched your mirror, breaking that too."

"You fired my pistol INSIDE my trailer? And you drank my beer?"

"Pretty much sums it up. You're not upset then."

"Of course I'm upset! But it's not like I can do anything about it!"

"That's true. So I guess it's safe for me to continue."

"There's more? What now?"

Uh, I accidentally bumped the G-2 into a cement barrier trying to park, and it dented the fender."

"WHAT?! Ken, you're lucky I'm strapped down to this bed, or else I'd be killing you!" Though Joe was fuming, he was concerned about Ken. He was completely acting out of character, and there was something definitely wrong. _"So, why'd you haul off and punch the mirror." _There was no response. At first he'd thought maybe Ken had passed out, but he could clearly hear his friend's quiet sobbing. _"Ken, what's wrong? I'm worried about you. Talk to me."_

He waited for some type of reply, but got none. Frustrated, he exhaled loudly. _"Damn it! Why do you have to be so stubborn all the time? You owe me. Don't you trust me?"_

Between sobs, Ken replied, his voice monotone_. "I wanted to prove something to myself, and I did."_

"What was it?"

"I wanted to prove that I was good enough to make you want to live. You wanted to die, but no matter what I said, I couldn't change your mind."

Joe closed his eyes, feeling a tinge of guilt and sadness in his chest_. "You have nothing to prove Ken. You're my best friend, my brother, and you should know how I feel" _He paused, remembering the conversation earlier that day. Ken did have a valid point, but he was taking it to the extreme. _"I was delirious from the drug. I didn't know what I was saying, what I was doing, or how I even felt. Hakase said I broke your wrist, but I don't remember doing it. I don't remember a lot of things. Why are you dwelling on this so much?"_

Ken didn't answer. Suddenly, he wanted to get as far away as possible, so he didn't have to continue the conversation. _"Joe, my coming here was a big mistake. I've got to go. Sorry."_

"Where are you going?"

"I…I don't know. Just away, ok? I'm sorry, but I really have to go."

Joe was sincere with his words, and they tore at Ken's heart_. "Wait, don't go. You don't understand. You're right, I don't want to live anymore. I haven't for a long, long time. My whole life revolves around getting vengeance, but it's never enough. Why do you think I'm always overstepping my boundaries on missions? Every time we go out fighting, somewhere in my mind I'm hoping I don't come back, and that scares me. I'm not afraid of dying Ken, I'm afraid of living."_

"You too huh?"

He didn't fully understand the comment, and he hoped Ken would elaborate. He didn't. Instead, he fumbled in the darkness to the window, where he pulled back the blinds, allowing the outside light to dimly filter in. For a few minutes, both stared out in the window in silence, waiting for the other to say something. 

It was Ken who finally spoke. "_Joe, I want you to have something. My father gave it to me a long time ago." _He removed his father's necklace, the one thing he cherished most and never went without, and placed it around Joe's neck. _"Father said whenever things seem hopeless, I'm supposed to look down at the pendant and remember he's with me. I want you to do the same, but remember that I'm with you too."_

Joe could barely speak, and he closed his eyes, trying to hold back his emotions. He knew just how much the necklace meant to Ken, and what it was intended to mean when given to someone else. It wasn't something to be taken lightly. "_I can't keep this. I…"_

Ken tried desperately to lighten the mood, and succeeded._ "I'm your commander, and you WILL keep it. Stop living for vengeance only, and try living for me. That's an order."_

************

Jun and Ryu arrived early the next morning, and were surprised to see Ken sleeping soundlessly on the floor next to the hospital bed. Joe acknowledged them with a smile, then followed their glances downward. _"Don't ask me. He just sort of ended up there."_

Ryu walked over to the bedside and undid Joe's restraints. _"The doc says you're being moved out of ICU today. I'm glad. Sure was getting dull without you around."_

"Dull? You mean Ken hasn't been entertaining you? He's been giving me one hell of a laugh."

"Looks like he has. So, what's up with him?"

Joe didn't know how to say it, so he laughed_. "Uh, Ken ran into some trouble with some beer cans last night, and it looks like they got the better of him."_

Jun was disgusted_. "He got drunk? Why?"_

He laughed harder_. "Jun, he's a teetotaler. Would you expect anything less?"_

"Yea, I'd expect him to not get drunk in the first place! He knows better!"

From the floor Ken stirred, then rolled over and groaned. Ryu took the opportunity to begin teasing. _"Ken, how you feeling?"_

He opened his eyes, then flushed when he saw the added company_. "Like hell. Never again will I let this happen. Anyone got some aspirin? My head is killing me!" _He put his hand to his head, and Jun immediately commented on the wound_. "You ought to have that hand examined. Looks like you might need some stitches."_

The mood became awkward, and Joe quickly tried to change the subject. The conversation didn't get much better. _"He needs to have his head examined too. Hey, Where's Jinpei?"_

Ken gave a warning glance to the others, which wasn't subtle at all. Jun responded flatly, _"Uh…he's too young to be up here."_

Joe had noticed the sideways glance from Ken, and as the atmosphere became more heavy and uncomfortable, Ryu began to squirm nervously. "_He can at least call me right? There's no age limit on a phone call."_

Before anyone could answer, Ken cut in_. "I think one of you should go get me a doctor. I think I may need those stitches after all."_

"Uh, ok, we'll go get the doctor. You coming Ryu?"

It took a minute for Ryu to catch on_. "We just got here but…OH…yea, I'm coming."_

Joe said nothing, but it was very apparent the three of them were trying to hide something. He didn't bother prying, feeling that right now there were too many other unanswered questions to deal with. Hopefully, Ken would clear most of them up shortly.

************

Once outside, Ryu breathed a heavy sigh of relief. _"Whew! We almost didn't get out of that one."_

"Ryu, we're NOT out of 'that one'. I can't get through to Jinpei that Joe didn't mean to hurt him. He just doesn't understand, and he's angry." 

"He will Jun, don't worry."

"But Joe knows something is up, and he's perfectly correct in saying there's no reason Jinpei can't come to see him."

"You sure he won't visit, not even for a few minutes?"

"Yes I'm sure. You mention Joe's name and he freaks out. The kid wants nothing to do with him!"

"Joe's going to remember sooner or later what he did. Why can't we just tell him now, and let him talk to Jinpei about it?"

"Hakase doesn't want any added stress or guilt right now. Besides, from what I saw just now it looks like he's got enough to deal with."

Ryu nodded in understanding_. "You mean with Ken?"_

"Yes I mean with Ken! Did you see him? He was a complete mess!"

In order to ease Jun's mind, he tried not to sound equally concerned, but the anxiety was apparent. "_Oh, he's probably just worn out, that's all. We went through quite a bit to get Joe back."_

"Uh huh, enough for him to go out and get drunk? I don't think so. I just hope if there's something up, Joe can break through to him. We all know how bullheaded Ken can get."

"Don't worry Jun. We also know how persistent Joe is, and he won't back down if he knows something is wrong."

************

Ryu was exactly correct. Since they had left, Joe had been barraging Ken with questions. _"So, about last night. Care to elaborate?"_

"No, not really. It just happened."

Joe was really getting tired of the clipped answers_. "Ok, great. ' It just happened'. Can you tell me why you stole my car, broke into my trailer…"_

Ken interrupted_, "I didn't break in. I had your keys."_

"FINE! Can you tell me then why you shot a pistol inside my trailer, and where your brain was when you did it? Or, did this 'just happen' too?"

Ken looked away and started fidgeting. He knew it would come sooner or later, but he really didn't feel like talking about it. He never wanted to. Something was holding him back, but Joe didn't care. He kept right on prodding. _"Well, ok, let me get this straight. You did all these things, including getting drunk, trashing my trailer, denting the fender of my car, and punching a mirror, just because 'it happened'. Great, that sounds like something you do every night Ken."_

"Now is not the time Joe."

"So when is the time? You freaked out on my yesterday morning, and then again last night. Hakase said he knew why, and he told me you'd come back with an explanation when you were ready to give one. Frankly, I'm getting tired of waiting."

"Then stop! I'm not asking you to come running to my aid, and I can't help it if Hakase thinks I need to."

Joe was tired of the mind games, and frustrated, blurted out his true feelings. _"So what the hell did you show up last night for? It sure sounded like you wanted my help, just didn't have the balls to ask for it."_

"I don't need you for anything!"

"Really? What was that 'I need to prove to myself that I'm good enough' bullshit? And what was that deal with you giving me your father's necklace, and telling me you'd be there if I needed you? What about now Ken? I'm telling you I need you to talk to me and you keep pushing me away. Why?"

Ken did not reply. He really wished he could just run away and hide, to forget the whole conversation, and to forget what happened last night. The alcohol had given him the freedom to speak things he hadn't wanted to say, and now his hands were tied. 

Joe was still screaming_. "Why Ken? Am I not good enough for you to confide in? I don't seem to have a problem with it. I wasn't drunk last night when I was telling you how I felt. I meant it. Maybe you didn't, or maybe you're just too blind to see it's obvious you need someone, other than yourself, to sort out what's in that damned head of yours!"_

Growing tired of the nagging, he raised his hands in submission_. "Ok, ok, I get the point. You can shut up now. You want to know so bad, fine, I'll tell you! When we first met at the hospital, it wasn't a coincidence. It was planned. I don't know if Hakase told you why I was there in the first place, but if he did, it's not the true reason. He'd never tell anyone the truth, because it would make me look bad, especially now that I'm a commander."_

He paused, hoping Joe wouldn't ask him to continue, but he knew it was not over yet. Joe calmly nodded in understanding, and encouraged Ken to continue. 

__

"You see, my mother had just passed away, and for the first time in years, at the funeral, I saw my father. I didn't even know why he came. He was never there for mother, or for me, and I resented him for it. Then, just as soon as he arrived, he was saying goodbye again. I wanted him to stay, and I didn't understand why he had to leave. I never told him how I felt."

He looked at Joe, who once again nodded in understanding. It was getting harder to continue, and as the visions began again, he closed his eyes, hoping desperately to shut them out. _"I blamed myself for everything: father leaving, mother's death, my own unhappiness, and all the while I hated my father because of it. Eventually, I turned that hatred against myself. I…I…damn it Joe, I don't want to talk about this."_

"Come on Ken, don't give up now. It's ok."

"Shit Joe, it's not ok. I don't want to talk about it!"

Joe put his hand on Ken's shoulder and tightened his grip. _"You have to. Can't you see what it's doing to you? Please go on, and don't do it for me. Do it for yourself."_

It took Ken a minute to regain his control. He just wanted to stop, to forget all of it, but there was something in Joe's voice that kept him going. _"I grew extremely cold and distant from everyone, and then, I didn't care at all anymore. I didn't want to live, not without my mother and father. I felt completely worthless. Every time I turned around someone was leaving me, and it was all my own doing. It was my own fault."_

He sighed loudly, watching the expression on Joe's face. It was odd, but he seemed to understand, and he remained quiet. Ken was almost ready to begin again when a doctor entered from the hallway. _"I was told someone in this room needed medical assistance."_

Joe put up his hand and waved him away. _"Look, we're right in the middle of something important. Can you come back?"_

Ken's ignored the comment, and motioned to the doctor. _"I'm the one who called for you. Had an accident last night, and think I may need stitches." _He raised his hand, and the doctor examined it; he was puzzled_. "You did this last night? The blood still looks to be fresh. Why didn't you have it treated earlier?"_

"I just didn't. So, what do you think?"

"We should at least get it cleaned up and bandaged, then go from there. Come with me."

As he got up to leave, he didn't bother to turn and look back at Joe. By the tone of his voice, he could tell his friend was absolutely furious. _"Bastard! You really think you're going to get out of it, don't you?"_

"Joe, I'll be back later when you're in recovery. Maybe we can talk more then. Deal?"

"I know Ken. I've heard it before. 'Now is not the time.'"

************

In another part of the hospital, Ryu, Jun, and Dr. Nambu were also trying to do some convincing. "_Jinpei, we've told you this before. Joe was under some type of drug and he wasn't himself. This drug made him forget who he was, and who his friends were."_

"But he knew me! He called out my name, then shortly after he shot me!"

Dr. Nambu shook his head in frustration. He was getting nowhere with the young boy, and his patience was getting thin. Jun could tell that he was getting tired of the circular argument, and decided to take over. _"Jinpei, Joe's out of ICU today and there won't be a reason for you not to see him. Can you at least talk to him on the phone? You don't have to see him this way, and he'll at least know you're concerned about him."_

"But I still have to hear him!"

The agitation was beginning to show on Jun's face as well. Like the others, she was out of ideas_. "So are you saying you're never going to speak to or see Joe again? How's that going to work when we're together on a mission?"_

"I don't know."

Jinpei looked towards Ryu, hoping to get some support, but even his good friend was adamant. "_Joe feels very guilty for the things he's done. He really needs you right now. You can't turn your back on him, especially when it wasn't even his fault. He was just doing his job."_

"His job?"

"Yes, his mind wasn't clear, and he thought you were a Galactor invading Crescent City. He had to stop you. He didn't mean to hurt you, really. I don't think he ever could."

"Oh yes he could! He hates children, and to him that's all I am! He just got sick of me that's all, and thought maybe he could get rid of me."

The comment made Jun raise out of her seat_. "Jinpei! How could you say such a thing? You apologize right now! Joe loves you like a little brother, and he'd never even dream of doing such a thing!"_

He lowered his head sympathetically_. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Ok, you win. When I'm up to it, I'll be sure to call Joe and let him know I'm thinking of him."_

The words had been worded very carefully, and Jun smiled_. "When you're up to it? Isn't that just a nice way of saying you won't do it?"_

"Of course not onechan! I'd never try to pull a fast one on you."

Jokingly, she slapped her little brother upside the head_. "Oh yes you would, but then you'd know you couldn't get away with it!"_

************

Berg Katse was very pleased. He had just received word from his ISO infiltrator that though Doctor Madison had been killed, she had succeeded in her initial mission. Gatchaman's G-2 was temporarily out of commission, and to further his enjoyment, two other members of the team were having obvious personal problems. 

He smiled and rubbed his hands together, already savoring the victory. Everything was going as planned, and soon, he would take control of Pearl City. From there the reality of an all-encompassing Galactor organization would be spread to all nations, and many would be encouraged to support their cause. 

But there were other ideas brewing in the back of Katse's mind, ones he would not discuss with anyone. He had his own personal agenda, and in the end, the world would hail his power. Berg Katse would be the supreme ruler of Earth, and no one could stop him, not even his most dreaded enemy, the Science Ninja Team. 

There was no time like the present to begin the course of action. Assembling his militia, he ordered a full-scale attack on Pearl City. 

****

END OF PART TWO


	3. Chapter Three: Revelations

PART THREE: REVELATIONS ****

PART THREE: REVELATIONS

By: Jenny Lambert

Ken toyed with a pencil and stared at the blank piece of paper in front of him. After the doctor had attended to his injury, he did not return to Joe's room, but instead, had gone home. Now, he felt both guilt and anger for not returning. Though he would try to explain later, Joe would never understand his reasoning. He would start all over again with the prodding, something Ken was tired of hearing. There were too many things he didn't want anyone to know, and too many issues he needed to work out himself.

__

"Why couldn't I tell Joe? He's practically my brother, and if I can't confide in him, who can I confide in?"

Overwhelmed, he snapped the pencil in two, then grabbed another one. He had thought about his decision long and hard, and though he wasn't 100% convinced, knew in his heart it was best. 

__

"How can I be a leader when I can't even figure myself out? Damn it, just let someone else do the job. In my condition, I'll just get in the way and make hell out of everything. I need time to work things out, not worry about being the Science Ninja Team's first in command."

No one would understand, and some, mainly Joe, would call him a coward. Maybe, someday, he could tell them the truth. Ken Washio should never have been the leader of anything; he just wasn't cut out for the stressful demands and responsibilities. As the words came, he scribbled them down.

Due to conflicting personal problems, I resign my

command as leader of the Science Ninja Team.

************

Joe was restless; he flipped through the television channels trying to ease the boredom. After being cooped up in the hospital for over two days, he was desperate to get out. _"Why don't I just discharge myself and get the hell out of here? I can't take all this lying around doing nothing. The monotony is driving me crazy, and I could just as easily do this at home."_

He frowned, remembering the condition Ken had left his trailer, and the G-2, in. _"That bastard…" _Quickly, his anger turned to concern. After their last conversation, Ken had said he would come back to visit, but he hadn't. Joe knew why. _"Guess I was right. The jerk really doesn't have the balls to fess up to me. Oh well, I'll just have to do it the hard way, by beating it out of him."_

And yet another issue was racking his nerves. Jinpei. The boy hadn't come to visit him either, and Ryu and Jun were much too nonchalant about it. He was curious, and really wanted to find out why. Deciding to do some investigating, he picked up the hospital phone and dialed the operator.

************

Doctor Nambu got through the first line of the resignation letter before tearing it up. He was livid, and Ken had expected it. _"This is bullshit, and I won't accept it! If I thought you were anything less than a leader, why would I have chosen you in the first place?"_

"I don't want to deal with it right now. It's just too much."

"You always say 'I don't want to deal with it'. When will you? I thought you were working this out with Joe. Is this your solution? The easy way out?"

"You once said my actions would someday affect how others view me as commander. You said it would make me seem weak."

"Well it sure has, hasn't it?"

"Damn you! How do you think the others would really feel if they ever found out I…"

He paused, not wanting to continue. Nambu finished for him. _"Tried to commit suicide? That you were institutionalized because of your erratic self-destructing behavior?"_

It was hard enough for Ken to say it to himself, and hearing the words aloud from someone else made his cringe. The truth was unacceptable, and in frustration, he threw a punch at the Doctor's head. _"Stop, I don't want to hear it!"_

Though surprised, Nambu deflected the blow easily, pleased to see some type of retaliation from the boy. _"Nice to see you do have some fire left in you. You forget, though, I trained you, and I can anticipate your every movement." _

He watched sympathetically as Ken regained his composure, then apologized. _"It…it can't go on like this. I'm losing my mind."_

"Then find it again, and stop this self hating. You can't expect anyone else to respect you when you can't even respect yourself. I don't want to hear anything more about a resignation. I will, however, grant you a temporary leave of absence so you can sort things out. This applies ONLY if your services are not needed. Should Galactor strike, I expect you to return, to do your duty as commander. You hear me?"

Ken nodded silently, then left the office, feeling the weight growing heavier on his shoulders.

************

Joe felt a knot form in his chest, and he started fidgeting. For some reason, he didn't want the operator to pick up.

.

__

"Can I help you?"

"Uh, yes, I'm looking for someone who may have been admitted some time ago. He's a young kid, about fourteen, and his name is Jinpei."

"Jinpei? Hold on while I check the records."

Over the receiver, he could hear the shuffling of papers. The anticipation was growing even more intense, and a cold sweat started to form on his brow. It seemed like an eternity, but it took less than a minute. _"Yes, we do have a Jinpei, but his room number is restricted."_

"Can you tell me why he was admitted?"

He knew the answer before even asking the question_. "That's restricted information also. I'm sorry."_

"Look, I'm here at the hospital too. I'm in room 312, name's Joe Asakura. There is also restricted information on me. Jinpei and I are good friends, and I really need to talk to him."

"I understand your concern, but I can't help you."

"Sure you can. Ask Director Anderson or Doctor Nambu about me, and they will give you clearance. I work for both of them. I can't say it enough, but it's very important I talk to him." 

"Let me put you on hold and contact one of them. I'll see what I can do."

************

The battle at Pearl City had begun, and the overpowering Galactor army was quickly eliminating the UN Forces, as well as the other troops. The outcome was inevitable. Soon, the city would be captured, then claimed by the Galactor organization.

Berg Katse was pleased by the results, and also floored by the fact that he would finally have control of a major Earth city. It was the first time he could truly proclaim success, and soon, everyone on Earth would be bowing to him, praising him as Earth's new lord and master.

************

Joe wanted to scream. Though he had only been on hold for a few minutes, the silence on the other end was irritating him. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to get in touch with Jinpei. _"Damn it, hurry up! How long can it take? The least they could do is play some music or something!"_

He waited a few more minutes, the started wondering if the operator forgot about him. _"That lady better be working. If I find out she went for a coffee break I'll…"_

The thought was interrupted by a click on the line. _"Sorry for the delay. I couldn't reach Doctor Nambu, but I did get in touch with Director Anderson. He said you have authorization to call your friend. He's in room 255."_

Joe exhaled loudly_. "Thank you very much. I appreciate it."_

The plan had worked perfectly. Grabbing his clothes from the closet, he headed off to the second floor. _"When will they learn to lock me up? Hakase ought to know by now I won't stay put."_

************

Shortly after Ken left his office, Doctor Nambu heard the emergency news broadcast.

__

"A Galactor army has led an attack on Pearl City, and UN Forces, as well as other armed troops, have been called in. The casualty list is in the hundreds, and is sure to rise. We will continue to broadcast live as more information becomes available"

He signaled to Ken, but the message went unheard. He thought the boy had understood the terms of the 'leave of absence', but apparently he did not. Already he had turned off his G-1 transpower band. 

__

"Of all the times for Galactor to strike, why now?" Dumbfounded, he lowered his head into his hands. "_How can I expect the Science Ninja Team to take this on? Ken's having personal problems and won't command, Joe is still recovering from his previous experience, and Jinpei won't go near Joe because he's afraid of him. How did I let this get so out of hand?"_

************

Any other time Joe could have easily entered the hospital room, but for some reason, he hesitated. He could hear the low murmur of the television, and the familiar voices of Jun and Ryu. They were trying to be convincing, but were not succeeding. 

__

"Come on Jinpei. You have to go see him, or call him at least. He's not stupid, and we can't come up with excuses forever."

"No, I'm not ready yet."

They were right. Joe wasn't stupid, and he knew who the "he" was they were referring to. Fighting an internal panic, he tried to recall what happened. There were flashes of death, most of them Galactor, but that was it. There were no memories that involved Jinpei.

__

"When will you be ready? It's been four days now."

"I don't know. I just don't want to see him now. Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Joe's voice from the hallway brought the conversation to an abrupt halt. _"You don't have to come see me Jinpei. I'm here to see you." _

As he entered the room, Jun gasped. _"Joe?"_

Ryu followed suit. _"Joe? How long you been standing out there in the hallway?"_

"Long enough to know you couldn't convince the kid to see me." The next question was steered directly at Jinpei. _"Why? Why wouldn't you come and see me?"_

He didn't answer, but instead, pulled himself closer to Jun, pleading. _"Onechan, make him leave."_

It was obvious Joe was about to lose his temper, but Ryu's warning helped him keep his composure. _"Don't get mad Joe. That'll only make things worse."_

Joe's voice was calm, but his stare was icy. _"Worse? How can things get much worse?"_

Jun looked at Ryu, sensing it was time for them to leave. As she got up from the bedside, Jinpei became hysterical. _"Onechan! Where are you going? You're not going to leave me here with him are you? You can't!"_

"Jinpei, this has gone far enough. You two need to talk this out, without our interruption."

"There's nothing to talk about! If you leave me here with him, he'll hurt me again!"

Under his breath Joe cursed, then closed his eyes and exhaled sharply. The anger was so apparent his body was trembling, but he now knew why Ryu had told him not to express it. Jinpei was afraid of him. Why? His mind struggled to put the pieces together, but still they would not fit. _"What the hell did I do to him? I don't remember!"_

Ryu squeezed Joe's shoulder comfortingly, said a few apologetic words, and left; Jun followed close behind. All the while Jinpei sobbed. "_Onechan! Ryu! Someone stay here with me! Don't…" _He didn't finish the sentence, seeing the door close behind Jun. Neither of them had listened, and now here he was, face to face with his enemy. 

Grabbing a nearby chair, Joe pulled it to the opposite side of the room. His voice was strong, yet non-threatening. _"I'm going to sit way over here Jinpei. This way I can't…I can't do anything to you. Ok?"_

"No! I don't want you anywhere near me! Go away!"

"Why?"

"Because you hurt me, and you don't care. You never do!"

Joe's voice became louder and harsher; it frightened Jinpei. _"What is that supposed to mean? Where the hell is that brain of yours? I could never…"_

"Shut up, and don't say you never could! You are selfish and uncaring, and everyone knows you don't like me."

"I don't like you?"

"Yea, you think I'm some worthless child, too young to be of any use to. We'll, I'm not!"

I don't think that at all. You're making NO sense!" 

Jinpei ignored him and turned up the volume on the television, as a way to block out the conversation. Joe felt the irritation begin to rise again. _"Look, just forget it ok? You're no different than your 'Aniki'. He chooses to be blind to the truth also."_

He was about to leave when the news broadcast about the war at Pearl City attracted his attention. As he saw the death and destruction on the television screen, his blood began to boil. _"I can't believe we haven't been dispatched. Someone has to step forward, before it's too late." _

For an instant, Jinpei looked up, then turned away again. Joe noticed the sideways glance and commented on it. _"Jinpei, you are crazy if you think I could, or would, purposefully hurt you. I wish you knew how I really felt about you, but I don't have time to get into it. I've got to find out from Hakase what the hell is going on!"_

************

At the ISO press conference, Director Anderson tried handling the barrage of questions as best he could. Many were outraged by the fact the UN was being defeated, and others feared for the future of Pearl City. It was total chaos.

__

"Sir, this special elite force, Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, has the weaponry and training for these types of situations. Why haven't they been dispatched?"

"Director Anderson, is it true you haven't called upon the Science Ninja Team because you doubt their abilities to defeat the entire Galactor army, one even the UN cannot overcome?"

The Director raised his hands, asking for silence. With the situation, he could understand all the concerns, but he didn't expect the skepticism. _"No I do not doubt their abilities. Right now three members of the Science Ninja Team are recovering from personal traumatic experiences, which exclude them from taking part in any missions."_

"If this team can't do their job, why not turn the weaponry over to the UN?"

"The Science Ninja Team has had specialized training with their weaponry, and their mechas have been constructed based on their individual personalities. The Gatchaman Project is experimental, as well as highly confidential, and cannot be revealed to just anyone." 

"So you say we have the weaponry to destroy this army, but you won't allow it to be used? Surely you can't continue to do nothing, and let the lives of all those who fought be in vain."

"The time will come ladies and gentlemen, but not right now."

"When then? How many more will it take Director?"

Director Anderson was getting tired of the pointed questions. His voice was edgy, with an undertone of bitterness. _"Our hands are tied, but don't expect us to just roll over and die. I'm sorry, but I cannot take any more questions. Thank you for your time."_

Quite simply, ISO had no idea how they planned on handling the situation at Pearl City. Red Impulse was doing all they could, but even their effort wasn't enough. The Science Ninja Team was desperately needed, but their current status was unnerving. No one knew when, or if, the team could step in. Only time would tell.

************

Doctor Nambu nervously watched from his desk as Joe paced back and forth in front of him. _"You're just going to sit here and do nothing? Send us out, damn it!"_

"I can't. Not now."

"If not now, when? Look, someone has to stop this. Am I going to have to do it myself?"

"No Joe. You know better than anyone does your condition. Besides, we are told to stand by until Galactor makes the next move."

"And what then? See how many more innocent lives can be lost? This is bullshit!"

"Joe…"

He rudely interrupted_. "And where the hell is Ken? He should be here doing the arguing, not me!"_

"He's on a leave of absence, unless some crisis should occur."

"Isn't this a crisis? Get his ass back here! He's a grown man, not some immature child that has to run off and have a temper tantrum every time life gets rough."

"I think it might do more harm than good right now if he came back."

"Oh really? How?"

Nambu ignored the sarcasm. _"Joe, you heard my orders. I will not send the Science Ninja Team on a suicide mission, and that is final!"_

Joe snorted in disgust, then crossed his arms in defiance. _"Hakase, this is one order I cannot obey."_

The Doctor's features hardened. _"And just what do you plan on doing Joseph? Right now there is no Science Ninja Team. Ken handed me his resignation earlier today, which Ï didn't accept, but he still refuses to be your commander. You are supposed to be in recovery, and are in no shape to be out playing the hero. Jinpei is also in recovery, and won't even consider working around you. That leaves Jun and Ryu. Can you expect the two of them to take on the whole Galactor army? They can't, which is why the situation has been left up to the UN and Red Impulse. Can you understand that?"_

Joe nodded his head and looked towards the ground. He wanted to scream, but instead, kept his cool and responded calmly_. "I do understand Hakase, and I'm sorry. You're right, I do need to rest, but it's just so hard."_

Doctor Nambu softened. _"It's hard on all of us, but things will work themselves out. Just believe it will."_

"I know it will, I know."

************

Even though Joe had been sincere with his words and tried to receive forgiveness, Jinpei's response had been bitter, without understanding. Now, as he sat alone in his room, he wished he had treated Joe better, and allowed himself to accept the apology.

Staring out the window, he recalled bits and pieces of the conversation, then remembered how Joe's mood changed after hearing the news broadcast. It was like the protective walls came up and vengeance took over. He had focused solely on the television and forgot everything else; hearing about Galactor always seemed to bring about that response.

**__**

"I can't believe we haven't been dispatched. Someone has to step forward, before it's too late."

It wasn't so much the words, as it was the expression in Joe's eyes. He had that look of determination, as if to say _"That someone is me."_ Jinpei gulped. _"He can't possibly think of taking on that army by himself!" _Quickly he retracted thee statement, realizing whom it was hewas talking about_. _If anyone would do such a thing, it would be Joe. _"Shit! I can't let him go alone. I should probably tell the others, but what if I'm wrong?" _

He juggled each possibility back and forth, then decided what he wanted to do. _"I was rotten to Joe, and I need to make it up to him. I have to let him know I really do care about him. But if I tell the others, they won't let me go. They'll just say I'm too young." _

He knew Jun would be furious, but then again, she always was when he took off without reason. She was so much like his mother, and it sometimes drove him crazy. Still, he didn't want her worrying. Before taking off for his helobuggy, he hastily scribbled a short note and laid it on the pillow.

Jun,

Don't worry. Working things out 

with Joe. Be back soon (hopefully)

Love,

Jinpei

************

Joe was surprised by how easy it was to leave Crescent City. _"Wow, Hakase really is trusting these days. I thought for sure there'd be security following me. Guess that guilty conscience act I was giving him really worked."_

Though his body was tired and aching, he pushed the feelings aside, and focused on the mission. At Utoland Airport, he would take a commercial jet to the coastal city of San Marie. After that the plan was sketchy, but he knew somewhere Pearl City fit in. Death was possible, but it didn't matter. It never did. Nothing mattered except vengeance and stopping the newest Galactor plot. Hopefully, that would be easier than he was imagining.

As he pulled into the airport parking area, he couldn't help but think about Ken. Growing up, all he ever heard from his brother's mouth was how he wanted to be a test pilot. It got old quick, and thankfully, the stories ended when Ken finally became one. He had taught Joe to fly, and Joe, in return, had tried to teach him the basics of car racing. That didn't go off too well. After Ken slammed the G-2 sideways into a barrier wall, Joe decided not to pursue it any longer. He laughed, remembering what he had said after the accident.

__

"Racing is definitely not in your blood. Stick to being a pilot. It keeps you off the roadways."

Ken had thought the comment funny, that is, until he was presented with the car repair bill. _"$2,500? How am I supposed to pay for this? I'm broke!" _

"So, what else is new? Everyone knows you can't pay for a anything unless it's in the form of an IOU."

Lost in thought, he never bothered to check his rear view mirror. If he had, he might have seen the red helobuggy that was following not too far behind.

************

The flight was going to take eight hours, and already Joe was bored. After fidgeting restlessly in his seat and succeeding to annoy the passengers around him, he decided to take a walk. It wasn't far to the back of the plane from his seat, but at least he could try to clear his mind.

As he got up, he saw a blur of movement from the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw a child duck behind one of the seats nearby. At first he didn't think much about it, but after a few minutes of grumbling about it, he decided it seemed sort of odd. Looking back, he again saw two eyes peer slightly over the seat's headrest, then duck back down. Though he didn't get a good glimpse of the face, there was something familiar about the brown wisps of hair that went unconcealed. 

__

"Oh shit, I don't believe this! Damn you kid!" The obscenities were audible, making a few of the passengers look up in disgust. Joe did not apologize, being much too irritated to even consider it. _"Jinpei!" _There was no response, and he quickly lost patience. _"Jinpei! Get the hell out from behind that seat, NOW!"_

Slowly, Jinpei's head appeared; his facial expression said it all. _"Uh oh."_ It was obvious Joe wanted to administer physical punishment, and the boy was suddenly thankful for the passengers around him. Had they not been in public, Joe probably would have killed him…twice.

__

"What the HELL are you doing here?"

"Following you. After that, I don't know. What are we doing?"

"WE'RE not doing anything. I'M going to Pearl City." 

"Not without me you're not. It's my turn to prove I'm just as good as the rest of you. I'm not some worthless child, you know."

"Shit, Jinpei!…" He paused, feeling his body tremble from the suppressed anger. "_I never said you were."_

There was silence for a moment, then Jinpei questioned. _"So what do you think of me then?"_

His reply was harsher than intended. _"Why all of a sudden do you want to talk to me?" As _Jinpei shied away, he lowered his head apologetically. _"Sorry kid. Didn't mean to sound so pissed off. Still trying to figure out what happened between us, that's all."_

"I was being stubborn and stupid at the hospital. I wasn't really mad at you, just had a hard time believing you could hurt me like you did. I can understand being thrown against the wall, but you went way beyond that. You didn't have to slap me, kick me, and shoot me!"

Joe looked up, surprised. _"What? That's what I did?"_

"You mean you really don't remember?"

The puzzled look on his face just about summed it up. _"You think I would…or could…intentionally hurt you? Damn, what kind of person do you think I am?"_

Jinpei shrugged. _"One that doesn't like children."_

"I don't dislike children, just don't have the patience for them. Guess it's because I never had a childhood myself. Anyway, I don't consider you to be a child."

"You don't?" 

"No. Sometimes I think you're more a man than I could ever be. You're nine years old, and look what you've done already. When I was nine, I was wallowing in self-pity and consumed by vengeance. If I would have had half your determination, strength, and attitude, things could have been different for me."

Jinpei was humbled, and could hardly speak. All this time he thought Joe disliked him, when actually he respected him. _"I…I never knew."_

"I know kid. We probably should've had this conversation earlier, but I couldn't bring myself to talk about it with you. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I'm envious of your relationship with the others."

"You are? Why?"

"Sort of self-explanatory isn't it? You call Jun your onechan, and Ken your aniki. Ryu's like a big brother to you too. You can go to any of them, but you never could come to me. Guess it's my fault really."

"You're my aniki too Joe. I just didn't think you wanted to hear it. Did you?"

Joe turned away as he felt the corners of his eyes begin to tear. He realized he didn't always treat Jinpei the greatest, but he did care a lot for him, and was hurt to know the kid didn't see it. _"I'm sorry you don't know how I feel about you Jinpei. I've always loved you like a little brother, was just too afraid to show it. It seems like every time I get close to someone, they end up dying."_

"It's ok Joe. I understand now, and I'm sorry too."

He put his head on Joe's shoulder, and began to doze off. It was a strange feeling, one Joe wasn't used to, but he didn't mind it. Instead of being irritating, the boy's presence was comforting. _"I hate to admit this Jinpei, but I think I enjoy you're being here."_

"Really?" He wanted to say more, but was distracted by the stewardess, who was coming with the dinner cart. _"Alright, let's eat! I'm starving!"_

Joe smiled, then grimaced as the food tray was placed in his lap. _"After all that hospital food, Ï was hoping for something better. Should have flown first class, huh?"_

"Tastes great to me! If you don't want it, I'll eat it!"

He watched as Jinpei stuffed a large forkful of potatoes in his mouth, and couldn't help but laugh. _"Where you putting all that food kid? You're going to get sick."_

"No I won't. No amount of food is too much for the mighty Swallow Jinpei."

"Ok, we'll see just how mighty the Swallow is in about an hour."

Jinpei wrinkled up his nose. _"I'll be just fine."_

It couldn't have been worse. Less than an hour later, he was complaining of a stomachache. It didn't help either that Joe kept reminding him, nagging him like a two-year-old. _"Told you so."_

************

As predicted, Jun was furious. _"I can't believe he ran off again without telling us! What's with him?"_

"Jun, he'll be ok. He's with Joe."

"Oh, that's comforting. I can't wait to see what wonderful habits he picked up this time."

Hoping Ken had an explanation, she signaled to him on her transpower band. There was no response. _"Is he gone too? Why are men so irresponsible?"_

Ryu shrugged, knowing he couldn't say anything to make Jun feel better. He didn't have to; His helpless demeanor was enough to make her smile. "_Ok Ryu, I exclude you from 'men' clause. I can depend on you."_

He blushed, feeling terrible uncomfortable. _"I couldn't have gone with them anyway. I'm the one that's always left behind, remember?"_

She laughed, feeling the tension ease slightly. Though she was genuinely concerned, the situation was completely out of her hands. There was no way to make Jinpei magically reappear. _"Oh well, guess we'll just wait, and worry, and wait some more. But when they all come back, you can guarantee they're going to hear it from me!"_

"I don't doubt it Jun. Ken said there's nothing worse than an angry woman, except you."

"He WHAT?" 

Ryu bit his lip, and for Ken's sake, wished he hadn't made the remark. Jun wouldn't forget it, and one thing was certain. There was going to be a lot more than angry words when the three of them returned. 

************

The pilot checked his flight plans, then scratched his head. He knew he had a cargo full of weapons and supplies, but still didn't feel comfortable with their destination. There had been a lot of rumors circling around about Pearl City and the Galactor organization, most of them being positive. The city's condition was improving, and the residents were being helped immensely, by providing shelter for the homeless, food to the needy, and money to the poor. 

__

"Funny that an operation so evil could be doing such good. Wonder if there isn't some ulterior motive?"

As he jumped into the cockpit and started the engines, he couldn't help but continue to wonder about the strange happenings at Pearl City.

************

Exhausted from the long flight, Joe and Jinpei stood on the docks of San Marie Harbor. "_Well, where do we start?"_

"I'm going to visit the harbor master. With any luck, we'll find out who's headed for Pearl City. Stay here and keep watch. If I come back and don't find you here, I'll hunt you down and kick your ass."

Jinpei gave a mock salute. _"Aye aye Captain!"_

The Harbor Master clerk gazed questioningly at Joe_. "Why you looking for an outgoing vessel en route to Pearl City?"_

"I've got a friend I wanted to meet before he sets sail. He told me his destination was Pearl City, but he forgot to mention the name of the ship. With hundreds of them out there, I don't even know where to begin."

The clerk nodded in understanding, then started going down the listing of ships_. "Heard there's some interesting things going on at that island."_

"Such as?"

"People are saying the Galactor organization isn't all that bad. They're really going all out to help the residents rebuild. It wasn't their intention to destroy the city, they just wanted an above ground base of operations. Guess they would have done it sooner if the Science Ninja Team wasn't always butting in."

Joe was angered by the comment, but kept his cool. "_Got something against the Science Ninja Team? If Galactor's plan was to protect the Earth, they wouldn't be trying so hard to destroy it."_

The clerk looked up for a moment; his eyebrows raised in curiosity_. "Sounds like you have some sort of resentment against the Galactor."_

"Nope, just don't believe in what they stand for." The comment went without a response, and Joe sighed quietly, glad to hear the conversation was over. If it had gone on much longer, he might have had to punch the idiot. 

No other words were spoken until the clerk found what he was looking for. _"Figures she's listed all the way at the bottom. The container vessel 'Kobiashi Maru' is set to leave port in an hour. She's in Dock #7."_

************

Jinpei's eyes were full of questions, and the answers came quick_. "The ship is in Dock #7, and leaves in an hour."_

He groaned impatiently_. "An hour? I'm tired of all this waiting around!"_

"You won't be. I'm putting you to work. We can't just walk on this ship. We have to sneak on."

"Sneak on? This is my forte! I'm liking this better by the minute."

Joe exhaled, trying not to show his irritation, but it was obvious_. "This isn't a game Jinpei, ok? Can you try being serious for five minutes?"_

Embarrassed, the young boy looked towards the ground_. "Sorry Joe."_

"Don't be sorry, just don't forget we're on a mission. Now, I need you to hunt down an unlocked container, preferably one with food inside. We'll be on ship a few days."

"A few days?" He pointed towards one of the containers, disbelieving_. "In one of those?"_

"You learn fast kid. Ready?"

"I suppose. Wish me luck Joe."

************

The Kobiashi Maru was a gigantic ship, about 600 feet long, and definitely not a pretty sight. She was an old ship, reminiscent of the Liberty ships of World War II. Her steel hull was rusted and in terrible need of a paint job, and she looked as hastily put together as one of Galactor's best mechas. 

Jinpei found the unlocked container almost instantly. It was off to the far right of the dock, out of sight from most of the workers; it would be easy to sneak in to. Using hand signals, he motioned to Joe that he found one, then proceeded to enter. Instantly, the cold steel walls and unfriendly atmosphere made him anxious. _"Great, we've got to be in this thing for three days?"_

Less than a minute later, Joe peered in. He noticed the downcast look on Jinpei's face, and tried to lighten his spirits. _"What's the matter kid? Don't feel at home yet?"_

"No. I don't think I'm going to like this."

"We haven't left yet, you know. There's still plenty of time for you to turn back."

The boy's spirits rose to the challenge_. "Don't think I'm going to stay behind and miss all the fun. Besides, I think you'd go crazy in here by yourself. It would be like solitary confinement."_

"Think so, do you? I'll bet you $10 you're the first to crack. Deal?"

Before agreeing, Jinpei upped the stakes_. "$25, take it or leave it."_

"Wow, feeling daring aren't you? Where'd you learn to gamble?"

"From Ryu, he's very good at it. Ask him to play poker sometime, and you'll see for yourself."

"No thanks. I like my money too much, and really don't want to end up broke."

"Like Ken?"

Joe laughed, then nodded in agreement_. "Yea, like Ken. If he's remembered for anything, it will be for his lack of money." _Feeling the urge to change the subject, hecommented on the first thing that came to mind. _"We're going to be here a while, so why not try to relax?"_

"Sure, why not."

The floor was cold, and anything but comfortable. Joe lay on his back staring at the ceiling, while Jinpei sat cross-legged with his back against the wall. There was silence for a few minutes as both were lost in thought.

__

"Joe?"

"Yea?"

"What'cha thinking about?"

At first he didn't want to reply, but then figured it wouldn't do any harm. If he was going to be cooped up with the boy for three days, he knew the question would come up again sooner or later. _"Oh, a lot of things. Pearl City, the Galactor, my parents, Hakase and how pissed off he must be right now, Jun, Ryu, Ken."_

"_I'm thinking of Aniki too. I really miss him."_

"I miss him too Jinpei. The last time we talked it wasn't the greatest conversation. We parted on bad terms, and now I wish we hadn't."

"How come?"

"I was being my normal pushy self, and Ken was being his normal stubborn self. The conversation went nowhere, and I called him a bastard. It's the last thing I said to him." 

"Oh…well, you can make it up to him later."

The optimism in Jinpei's voice was comforting. Though Joe would never admit it, he was afraid. In the past he would have died willingly, and wouldn't have cared, but this time he felt differently. Death was the farthest thing from his mind, and he desperately wanted to live, for the others, and for himself. _"You can bet I'll make it up to him, Jinpei. The only way I know how, by slugging him." _

************

The pilot effortlessly touched down at Pearl City airfield, surprised at the lack of security present. Pulling out the flight plan and cargo list, he jumped from the cockpit, and greeted the two awaiting guards.

__

"Your name and ID please?"

"Robert Akira. ID #426517"

One of the guards scrolled down a list of names, flipped the page, and continued. _"Akira, Robert. He's here. Now, can I see your flight plan and cargo list?"_

The pilot adjusted his horned rimmed glasses, then handed over the required paperwork. _"Figured you have more security around. Pretty relaxed, isn't it?"_

The guard shrugged. _"Don't need a whole lot. Galactor is no threat. Look what he's done for us."_

He extended his arms, waving, as if to encourage the pilot to take a look around. _"They may have taken over the city, but most of the residents are now thankful. Our main problem is the Science Ninja Team. They'll probably show up sooner or later and try to destroy this."_

Quickly, the conversation moved in another direction_. "Boy, what I wouldn't do for a bite to eat and a shower. Too bad I'm a little short on money."_

"Oh yea, almost forgot. This is for your services." Grinning, the guard pulled out a manila envelope. When the pilot opened it, his eyes widened at the sight of thirty $100 bills. _"Wow, the boss sure is generous. Not looking for workers anywhere else is he?"_

"Nope, just wants you to know he appreciates your help. The supplies you flew in were desperately needed. A lot of others turned down the job because of fear. You must come from a different mold. Take the money and go have fun.

As he turned and walked away, one of the guards eyed him suspiciously. _"Looks like our strange visitor is going to be staying for a while."_

"Got a problem with that?"

"Yea. Robert Akira never should have made it here. I was informed his plane was stolen."

"Who the hell was that then?"

"I don't know, but I intend to find out." 

************

It has been two and a half days, and though Joe didn't show it, he was going out of his mind. Throwing shuriken at a makeshift dartboard was only fun for so long, and watching Jinpei work his bolos wasn't much more exciting. They had even tried training on each other's weapons, but it too got old quick. About the only thing the two weren't bored with was sleeping.

As requested, Jinpei had found a container with food in it, but Joe hadn't thought of what kind of food a nine year old would like. Now that they were locked in, he came to the realization that all there was to eat was potato chips, sugar cookies, and Mountain Dew. Since the first night, Jinpei had been bouncing off the walls with a sugar high, and showed no signs of letting up. Joe had already handed over the $25, admitting there was no way he could outlast the kid's energy.

Sighing from the extreme boredom, he stared at the ceiling for the millionth time. He could hear Jinpei curiously tearing apart the cargo, looking for something new to entertain himself with_. "I wish that damned kid would chill out already! He really is starting to get on my nerves!"_

He closed his eyes to rest, but was awoken a few minutes later_. "Joe?"_

"What now?"

"Can you explain this to me?"

Joe opened his eyes, then let his jaw drop open when he saw what was in Jinpei's hand_. "Where did you get that?"_

He pointed to the corner where he had been rummaging_. "There's a whole pile of them over there. There's nothing but naked men and women in it, and I don't understand what they are doing." _

He blushed, then took the magazine from Jinpei. _"Uh…this is probably something Jun should be telling you about. I'm really not too good at these things."_

"Aniki says you have lots of women friends." He flipped to a page, and pointed to one ofthe pictures._ "Have you done this before?"_

It wasn't the truth, but it sounded good_. "Well…uh…no, I haven't. See, a man and a woman do that sort of thing when they want to make babies."_

The boy nodded in understanding_. "Oh, so THAT'S how it happens? Is this why you and Ken won't go out with onechan? Because you don't want to make babies?"_

"No, uh…there's much more to it than that. You also have to love the person you're doing it with."

"You mean you and Ken don't love onechan?"

"Of course we do, but it's different. I'd love to ask Jun out, but…"

Jinpei interrupted excitedly_. "Really? I've always wanted a little brother Joe!"_

Joe put his head in his hands, hoping desperately that Jinpei would forget the conversation later. If not, he'd be in some deep trouble with Jun. He couldn't think of a good response, or further explanation, so he said the first thing that came to mind.

__

"Tell you what. Ask your onechan about it when we get back, ok?"

"Ok Joe, I will. Now I can't wait to get home!"

He felt his stomach churning inside, and he became nauseous. Suddenly, he wasn't so anxious to get to Pearl City. As Jinpei returned to rummage again through the cargo, Joeshook his head sympathetically_. "Say your prayers Joe. You're a dead man."_

************

From the hotel window, he watched the city streets below. The whole day had been spent roaming the city and asking questions, but he was no closer to getting an answer. Had anyone seen the infamous Berg Katse? No. Was there any base of operations being constructed, above or below ground? No. Were there any armed guards milling around in green suits? No. Has there been any strange devices, mechas, or equipment coming in or going out? No. It just didn't make sense. There was no evidence at all to show the Galactor was even present.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve the intensifying headache. This was going nowhere. He had come all this way to find out the truth, and it may have all been in vain. _"Hell! Why did they take over this island if they aren't going to use it? I can't believe it's just a front for something else!"_

Looking at the clock, which read 1:30 AM, he felt the exhaustion taking over. It had been a long day, and maybe tomorrow there would be someone with answers. Though he tried to remain optimistic, he was terribly doubtful. _"What am I supposed to report if I don't find anything out? I was supposed to be on call, not running off by myself and trying to be a hero. Damn it Ken, you're an idiot!"_

************

At ISO Headquarters, Doctor Nambu had his hands full. Though he was completely against the idea of letting Jun and Ryu take the Phoenix to Pearl City, they were adamant. _"Hakase, look. Joe and Jinpei have been gone for three days. Where else do you think they would have gone?"_

"And Ken's nowhere to be found either. If they did go to the island, they may need our help. We're a team, and we're supposed to be working together!"

"Unless we can confirm it, I don't want the Phoenix near that island. It could propose a threat."

"But Hakase, do you want to be responsible should something happen to any of them on that island? I couldn't bear with knowing we could have done something, but didn't."

Nambu ran his fingers through his hair, then removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He knew that no matter what he said, the two remaining members of the Science Ninja Team would take on the mission. It was their duty as teammates to protect each other, no matter the situation.

__

"Though I have a bad feeling about you two going, I cannot object. No one can prevent you from doing your duty. I do appreciate you running it by me though, and not being like your fellow comrades. Keep me informed, and good luck."

************

Joe arose cursing as the crane operator carelessly lifted the cargo from the Kobiachi Maru's hold. After being thrown sharply to the left, then to the right, he managed to regain his balance just before the container crashed hard against the ground. Surprisingly enough, all the jostling failed to wake the sleeping Jinpei, who lay curled up comfortably under a plastic tarp. 

__

"Hey kid, get up. We're here."

Jinpei grumbled, and covered his head. _"Just a few more minutes, Joe."_

"Get up now, or you're going to regret it."

"Why?"

Without answering, Joe grabbed one of Jinpei's bare feet and started tickling it. The boy squirmed and tried getting away, but the hold was too strong. Before long, he was howling with laughter and begging for mercy. _"Ok, ok, I forfeit! You win!"_

"About time. I was starting to think you'd never come around."

Jinpei yawned, stretched, and rubbed his grumbling stomach. _"I'm starving. Hope there's a good restaurant around here."_

"Me too, because you're buying."

"With what? And why am I buying?"

"With the $25 I gave you, and because you stuck us in a container with only junk food and Mountain Dew."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing if you're nine years old! I happen to be eighteen, and Sicilian at that. Get the point?"

"Yea, you jerk."

Joe's eyebrows rose up in surprise_. "What did you just call me?"_

"Uh…nothing. I just agreed with you."

"Sure you did. I warn you now, someday that comment is going to come back to haunt you."

************

As he walked the streets headed towards the local restaurant, Ken could sense he was being followed. He didn't know why, but had his suspicions. The people of Pearl City were uneasy around outsiders, and for some reason, they didn't like his presence.

Quickening his pace, he strode away from the restaurant and down a side alley, then ducked behind a garbage dumpster and waited intently. Transforming into birdstyle would have been ideal, but doing so would reveal his true identity. He was supposed to be a simple pilot looking for a few days rest, not the Science Ninja Team's first in command. 

A few minutes later, five men appeared, heavily armed and obviously unhappy. "_We know you're down here. Show yourself so we can get this over with!"_

Hidden from view Ken called out_. "Who are you, and what do you want?"_

"It doesn't matter who we are. Who are you? You should have done your research boy. Robert Akria's plane was reported stolen, and never should have arrived here. That is, unless you're the person who stole it!"

With his heart pounding in his chest, he tried to think of a resolution. _"Damn! You blew this one big time! How do you plan on getting out of it?" _He heard the footsteps approaching closer and wanted to scream_. "I can't kill innocent people! What the hell am I supposed to do?" _

Feeling for his boomerang, he knew there was only one option; kill or be killed. In one motion he rose and attacked, taking all five by surprise.

************

Joe opened the container door a crack and glanced around; the docks looked deserted, just as he had hoped. Opening the door wider, he stepped out, and was greeted instantly by an unfamiliar voice. _"You there? What do you think you're doing?"_

He spun around in a panic to see two security guards standing above him, guns pointed. _"Uh, trying to get to Pearl City. I've heard the rumors about what the Galactor has done here, and I want to join up."_

"Join up? Uh huh."

The guards did not sound very convinced. Using hand signals, Joe told Jinpei to stay put, and to let him handle the situation. _"Yea, I'm looking for work, and thought I'd join up with the winning team."_

"Out of work are you? What's the matter, not making enough on that Science Ninja Team salary?"

"Science Ninja Team? You've got to be kidding. You don't think…"

His voice went weak when he got a glimpse of the "wanted" poster in the guard's hand. Sneering, the man replied, _"No, I don't think. I know. Says here that your name is Joe Asakura, G-2 of the Science Ninja Team. We were told you were coming. This whole island is watching for you."_

Joe grumbled under his breath. _"Shit! Now what?"_

They approached from different directions, trying to cut off any possible exits. _"We know there are five of you. Where are the others?"_

"Others? I came alone. Wanted to see for myself what was going on here."

"Oh really? Bet if I took a good look inside that container you just came from, I'd find something interesting. Out of the way!"

************

Ken was running aimlessly, and getting nowhere fast. _"I've got to get off this island! Where the hell am I? Doesn't look like I'm anywhere near the airfield!"_

Stopping to get his bearings straight, he realized he was near the boat docks. Up ahead was the Kobiachi Maru, it's cargo scattered about like children's toys. There were three men standing beside a container, two with guns, one without. It seemed sort of odd, and as Ken focused on the sight, his stomach twisted into a knot. Clear as day, he could recognize the man who was unarmed. _"Aw hell! What is he doing here?"_

*************

They reacted quickly, but Joe was ready. With ease, he took down the first guard with a blow to the face, then reached for the second. "_Why were you waiting for us?" _When no response was given, he tightened his grip around the man's throat. _"If you truly know who I am, you know my reputation."_

Gasping for air, the guard was persuaded to explain_. "The Galactor is not the enemy, you are. You've come to destroy our city, but we won't allow it. We'll take you down one by one and kill you if we have to."_

Furious with the comment, Joe knocked the man unconscious, then called to Jinpei_. "Let's get the hell out of here. I don't like the looks of this." _As he went to rise from the ground, a blow to the back of his head sent him sprawling forward. Rolling over he looked up at Ken; anger flashed in his eyes. "_What the hell are you doing here? And why do you always have to disobey orders?"_

He probably could have let the attack go unpunished, but since it came from Ken, he decided against it. Rising quickly, he knocked Ken hard to the ground. _"There were no orders to obey. You were gone, which left me in charge. I can't help it if you're a coward, and wasn't around when we needed you."_

As each exchanged words, they also exchanged blows. _"I was doing my job. You were supposed to be restricted to base duty!"_

"Your job is to command us, not to go running off to save the day alone. What were you thinking?"

"Hey, at least it didn't take me three days to get here! You'd have been really helpful stuck in that container had something really gone down."

"Well if you were being a commander instead of a crybaby, I wouldn't have been stuck in that container in the first place!"

"That's it, blame me Joe, you bastard!"

"Who else's fault is it **'commander'**?"

As they continued to banter back and forth, Jinpei looked off in the distance. Seeing atleast thirty men approaching, he interrupted abruptly. "_Can we save this for later? We've got company, and they don't look happy to see us." _

They turned in the direction Jinpei was pointing, and it was Ken who commented first. _"Uh oh, looks like they followed me."_

"What do you mean they followed you?"

"I'll explain later. Now is not the time."

"You say that line one more time Ken and I'll kill you!"

"I don't think you're going to get the pleasure."

Watching the men come closer, Jinpei interrupted again. "_Will you two stop complaining and start running!"_

"Running? I don't think so. I just had a heart attack, remember? I'm gonna go find us a car!"

Ken protested, but as usual, Joe didn't listen. He slowly started lagging behind, then split from the group when the others weren't watching.

__

************

It wasn't until a few minutes later, when they were hiding out in an old abandoned building, that Ken realized his second in command was missing. "_Damn it! Why doesn't he ever listen to me? Every time I turn my back, he's pulling shit like this!"_

Jinpei shrugged. _"Well, you really haven't been much of a commander lately."_

Seething with anger, he glared at the boy and responded sharply. _"Shut up! Just shut the hell up! I didn't ask you, did I?" _Jinpei had seen Ken angry before, but never had he received that kind of reaction, and it hurt. More than ever he wanted to apologize, but instead, did as he was told. The last thing he wanted was to be yelled at again.

At the sound of voices and heavy footsteps, Ken peered nervously out a side window and cursed. There were at least fifteen men surrounding the building, fully armed and ready to strike. Jinpei's silence didn't last for long_. "Aniki, what are they going to do?"_

"Kill us Jinpei, or at least, they're going to try."

************

It was easy for Joe to find a car, and even easier for him to hotwire it. It was a 1970's Toyota four door sedan, which definitely showed it's age. It could have been brown, but Joe wasn't sure, since rust covered 90% of its body. Looks didn't matter though; the car just had to run.

Turning it over, he revved the engine and laughed at the lack of response. Though it had power, it didn't have a whole lot, and Joe knew it would not survive the expedition it was about to go on. In the end the engine, and the car itself, would be ready for the scrap yard.

He called to Ken and Jinpei on his transpower band, and got no reply_. "Damn! How am I supposed to track them if they don't send me a signal? This is just great!" _Feeling a little guilty for taking off on his own, he lowered his head to the steering wheel._ "I really don't ever listen to Ken's orders, do I? No wonder he has such a complex."_

He signaled again, this time getting a hurried response from Ken_. "What?"_

"I've got the car, and I'm coming to get you. Where's your location?"

"A lot of good that damned car is going to do us right now Joe. We're about to get ambushed!"

************

As the men opened fire at the building, Ken grabbed Jinpei and threw him to the ground. Glass and plaster exploded from the windows and walls, most of it landing on or near Ken's body. Ignoring the pain from the numerous superficial wounds, he transmitted a homing signal to Joe.

"_Aniki, you ok? You're shaking." _From underneath he could fell Jinpei squirm and try to rise. 

Ken grimaced, then forced a weak reply_. "They're not done yet. Stay down." _He paused, feeling hisbreathing becoming more rapid_. "Jinpei, I don't expect you to understand, but I am sorry."_

"Aniki, this wouldn't be happening if Joe hadn't run off."

"Please don't blame Joe. It's not his fault. You're both right in saying I'm not much of a commander. Not until now anyway." Rising, Ken pulled his gun and started for the door_. "Take care of him for me, ok?" _

Jinpeicried out in fear, _"Wait! Aniki, what are you doing?"_

He didn't answer, nor did he hesitate as he cocked the gun and began firing_. _They fell one by one, but not before getting a few shots off themselves. Jinpei screamed as he watched Ken's body flinch a few times, then collapse to the ground. _"Aniki, no!" _

He was crying hard when he called to Joe on his transpower band_, "Joe? Where are you? Joe!"_

"Almost there, from the looks of it. I figure if we can get to the airfield, Ken can…"

"He took them on alone. Hurry Joe, he needs help."

"What? Damn it! I'm on my way Jinpei, just don't let him die on me, ok?"

************

Ken screamed as the pain burned like fire across his body. Near shock, he couldn't fight off the memories that haunted him. They engulfed him, bringing his mind into focus. 

**__**

He was completely alone; Dr. Nambu's pistol was in his hand. At first he thought he couldn't do it, but then pointing it at himself, he found the courage. Pulling the trigger, he felt his sorrows pass away as his life began to leave him. He was scared, but also at peace. Finally, he could be at peace.

But this time it wouldn't come. The persistent pain continued, until he could no longer take it. The tears were flowing, blinding him, and he screamed again. Through the darkness he could hear his father's voice, and knew he would be safe. _"It's ok Ken. I understand, and I know how you feel. Be brave son, and hold on."_

************

They were at the airfield, but Joe really didn't know why. There was only one person who could fly them out of Pearl City, and he was slowly dying in the back seat. _"Jinpei, ask Ken which plane he came in on. I don't see his here."_

Jinpei whispered to Ken, then replied, _"The blue and white one. Third from the end."_

Joe took a look at the plane and cursed. _"That one? It doesn't even resemble the Cessna. How am I supposed to fly it?"_

Despite the pain he was in, Ken's reply was sarcastic. "_It's generally the same thing Joe. Just imagine yourself driving a Toyota instead of a Nissan."_

"Hardly similar Ken, except maybe to you!"

Jinpei reached forward and patted Joe on the shoulder_. "Joe, I know you can do it. We're depending on you."_

************

In the cockpit, Joe was sweating profusely. There were buttons, switches, and lights everywhere, and he didn't even know how to start the engines. With a childlike voice, he angrily mimicked Ken's words. "I_t's generally the same thing Joe. Just imagine yourself driving a Toyota instead of a Nissan."_

His heart was beating fast from the adrenaline, and though he didn't want to admit it, he was not feeling well. Since running off to find the car, he had experienced moments of blurred vision and disorientation, loss of feeling in his arms and legs, and shortness of breath. Doctor Nambu had warned him of these problems beforehand, and had told him not to overexert himself. As usual, he didn't listen, and now, as the stress on his heart continued, he was being reminded.

Blinking a few times and shaking his head, he tried to clear the fog. As the panic grew stronger, he was almost hyperventilating. "_Damn it, not now!" _The visions were coming again, memories of the guards that were killed at ISO. They were all innocent, with family who loved them, and in less than eight hours, Joe had destroyed them all. He had left wives grieving for their husbands, and children who would grow up without fathers. It was just like the people of Pearl City. They too were innocent, and many had died needlessly.

Using what little strength he could muster, he moved towards the doorway calling Jinpei's name. He knew the kid was having trouble dealing with Ken, and his condition would only make matters worse.

Jinpei immediately grew concerned; Joe's features were ashen, tears were forming in his eyes, and his body was trembling. _"Joe? You ok? What is it?"_

Sinking to his knees, he swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "_I…I can't fly the plane. I'm…sorry."_

Kneeling down, Jinpei squeezed his older brother's arm for reassurance. _"You'll be ok. We'll find some way to get out of this."_ He didn't understandwhat was happening, but could tell by Joe's reactions that it was pretty serious.

Joe nodded and closed his eyes. He was sweating harder as the attack continued, and felt his consciousness begin to ebb away. _"I want you to know, though this whole mission seems to be falling apart, it's one of the best I've been on. I've missed out on a lot not knowing you."_

"Joe Aniki, you're not going to die are you?"

He smiled, trying hard to look convincing_. "No Jinpei, of course not. How's Ken?"_

"The same. He keeps drifting in and out of consciousness, but I did what you said. I covered him with blankets, and kept talking to him."

"Good. Now go take care of him for me, ok? And don't mention my condition. Just tell him I'm fine."

"But, he told me to take care of you! Please come back with me Joe."

"No, I can't. I don't want him to see me like this. The first time was bad enough."

Jinpei was confused, but complied_. "Ok, but be sure to call me if you need anything. I won't let anything happen to you, or Aniki."_

"I know kid." He raised his hand and ruffled Jinpei's hair_. "And I can't think of anyone better to get us through this."_

************

From the airplane window, Jinpei could see the men approaching, and a feeling of dread came over him. This time, there was no escape; they were out for blood, and soon they would get it. Looking down at his transpower band, he thought of Jun and Ryu. Losing one of the team would hurt, but losing three of them would be devastating. He knew Jun would never forgive him, and wished more than ever to hear her voice. _"Jun?" _

There was no response, and he sighed_. "Knew I wouldn't get a reply." _He went to Ken, who was once again muttering incoherently, and tried to comforthim. _"It'll all be over soon Aniki, and we'll all be together again." _His gaze returned to the transpower band, and he began sobbing_. "Ryu, Jun, I'm sorry. I didn't want it to end like this."_

Ryu's voice nearly took his breath away. _"Like what? Jinpei, where are you? Jun and I are above the island in the Phoenix. You guys ok?"_

Completely stunned, he could barely force out a reply_. "Onechan, Ryu, are you really here with the Phoenix?"_

Jun's tone was angry, yet with understanding_. "You three go running off on your own, and we don't hear from you for three days. What did you expect us to do?"_

"I'm sorry. We're at the airfield. Just look for all the armed men. I'm going to need help getting the others on the ship. Aniki's hurt bad, and Joe's not doing so good either."

"I read you Jinpei. Looks like you guys are pretty popular. Mind if I crash the party?"

"No! Be my guest."

As the Phoenix made a low pass over the airfield, most dropped their guns and ran for cover. A brave and relentless few remained, but were quickly taken down by the ship's powerful jet engines. Ryu was amused by the scattering men, and couldn't help but laugh. _"Hey Jun, mind taking over the controls while I go retrieve our MIA's?"_

"Sure, I'll do my best."

"It'll be easy. Just stay hovering, and I'll do the rest."

Using the hydraulic lift platform on the Phoenix's underside, Ryu dropped down to the hatch of the awaiting airplane. He called to Jinpei, who appeared suddenly and gave him a big hug. _"Am I glad to see you! Joe's in the front. I'll go get him. You'll need to carry Aniki. He's pretty bad off."_

Splitting up, Jinpei went to the cockpit to retrieve Joe; He was relieved to find him still conscious. _"Joe Aniki, get up! Onechan and Ryu are here with the Phoenix. They came for us!" _

"_Huh? What'd you just say?"_

Grabbing at Joe's arm, he pulled him to his feet. _"Come on!" _

Joe took an unsteady step before clutching on to Jinpei for support, nearly toppling both over. _"Hold on there kid. It's gonna have to be slow going."_

"Sorry Joe. I just want to get out of here!"

"Me too."

They made their way to the hydraulic lift where Ryu was waiting, holding Ken's limp body. He had expected some type of sarcastic remark from Joe, but there was none. Instead, he extended his hand in gratitude. _"Thanks for coming. I owe you one."_

Ryu nodded in appreciation, then signaled to Jun_. "Ok, we're all present. Now let's get the hell out of here!"_

He looked at Joe, who smiled_. "Couldn't have said it better myself."_

************

At the ISO hospital, the mood was heavy with anticipation. Ken had quickly been rushed to surgery, and the doctors were unsure about his chance for survival. There had been a lot of blood loss, plus numerous internal injuries and internal bleeding. They had tried to sound hopeful, but the situation did not look good.

Joe, against his will, had been placed back in the cardiac ward, where he was once again restrained and sedated. It was imperative to relieve the stress on his heart, and though the medications made him drowsy, he refused to sleep. Doctor Nambu stayed with him, to try to ease the tension.

__

"Ken's got a strong will. He'll be just fine."

"Hakase, I need to be with him. You have to let me in recovery when the surgery is over. Please."

"You just need to relax Joe. You put yourself through too much too quickly."

"I can't relax! I saw Ken's condition, and I know it's not good. You have to let me in there with him, in case…" He choked back the rest of the sentence, feeling his emotions take over. Doctor Nambu sympathetically placed his hand on Joe's shoulder, as his own eyes began glistening with tears. _"Joe, you can't change what happened."_

"But I can try to change what happens next. Ken shouldn't have been put in the situation he was in. I should have been there beside him, but I disobeyed his orders and ran off on my own. Jinpei told me he thought we didn't think he was a good commander, that he had to prove himself worthy. That's why he took on those men like he did."

"Joe…"

"You knew it didn't you? That he was having problems leading. Why didn't you tell us? We could have done something!"

"It's been going on for years, and I thought he'd be able to work it out. You can be upset with me, or you can blame me, but it isn't my fault. It isn't your fault either. It's Ken's, because he chose to ignore it instead of confronting it."

"Which is why I need to be there when he gets out of surgery. He needs to know we're still here for him."

Nambu sighed, removed his glasses and wiped his eyes_. "I know you're right Joe. Rest now, and when Ken's out of surgery, I'll come back to get you. You have to pull him through his. You're the only one who can."_

************

There wasn't a dry eye in the room as the surgeon explained Ken's condition_. "We pulled four bullets from him, and there were at least two others that went straight through. He had massive blood loss from the wounds, plus from the internal and external injuries. The surgery was successful, but it's his condition now that concerns me. He hasn't come out of the anaesthetic, and he's not responding to any of our treatments. I'm afraid he's succumbed to shock and gone into a coma."_

Though the others understood the severity of the situation, Jinpei did not_. "It isn't that bad is it? He's going to be ok, right?"_

"I'd like to answer that for you, but I don't know. He may regain consciousness in a few hours, or it may take a few days."

Ryu looked towards the ground and muttered_. "Or a few years."_

"A few years?!"

Doctor Nambu abruptly interjected_. "Let's not lose our faith. We all know Ken is strong, and he's going to pull through this." _He paused before continuing; the last thing he wanted to do was bring up Pearl Cityagain, but he knew he had to_. "I know this is not a good time, but Director Anderson has asked me to send you out."_

Ryu was the first to question_. "Send us out? Where?"_

"To Pearl City. I'm afraid the news isn't good. A fishing trawler off the shores of San Marie came across a body floating in the water; the cause of death was from a single bullet wound to the head. Further searching revealed twenty more bodies, all in similar condition. All of the victims resided in Pearl City.

"So if the islanders are dead, who attacked Ken, Joe, and Jinpei?"

"Galactor agents. Their plan was simple actually, and would have worked, had they been more careful. Develop a group of islanders whom, though being taken over by the Galactor, and happy and supportive. People would eventually start thinking Berg Katse isn't all that bad, and use Pearl City as an example. This in turn would convince others to believe the ISO is wrong in their assumptions about the Galactor. More and more people would then support Galactor's cause, making us look like the true enemy for trying to destroy them."

Jimpei shook his head stubbornly and crossed his arms. _"I'm not going back! And how are we supposed to go on a mission without Aniki and Joe?"_

"It's not a mission as such. They will not be expecting you to come, and all you'll have to do is fire a few missiles and return home. Red Impulse will be beside you all the way."

"But we've got more important things happening here. I won't go!"

This time it was Jun who disagreed_. "As your temporary commander, I order you to go. We can't change what is going on here, but we can change what is going on at that island. You wouldn't expect Ken to sit this out would you?"_

Ryu and Jinpei's spirits began to lift._ "No, he'd go out fighting."_

"Right, so let's get going! Red Impulse is ready, and we don't want to keep them waiting! We've got an island to destroy, for Ken!"

************

As predicted, the Galactor never knew the attack on Pearl City was coming, and they weren't prepared. Jinpei took the pleasure of firing the missiles for Joe_. "This one's for you Joe, and for_ _Aniki too!"_ Smiling wickedly, he depressed the button, taking out a number of guards below.

Jun looked disapprovingly at him. _"Is this something Joe taught you? That it's fun to kill people?"_

"It is the Galactor Onechan. Joe said it's always fun to kill the enemy."

"They're still people, Jinpei."

He shrugged_. "Well that's not what Joe called them."_

"Really? And what did Joe call them?"

Hearing the curse words from Jinpei's mouth, her cheeks flushed in anger_. "I never want to hear those words from your mouth again, young man. Understand?"_

"Well you asked me what he called them!"

She shook her head and looked at Ryu._ "Didn't I say this would happen?"_

Ryu nodded in agreement, knowing it was in his best interest to keep quiet. A few minutes passed without incident before Jinpei started again. _"Onechan, are you gonna ask Joe out?"_

"No, was I supposed to?"

"Yea. I told him I'd really like to have a little brother, and he told me to ask you about it when we got back."

She didn't want to ask the question, because she was afraid of the answer_. "What does asking Joe out have to do with a little brother?"_

"Come on Onechan, I know all about it. Joe told me Aniki loves you, but he doesn't want to go out with you because he doesn't want to make a baby. Joe said he'd like to though."

"WHAT!"

He noted the tone of her voice and her expression, and gulped_. "Uh oh. You don't want to make a little brother with him? Onechan, I really want a brother, honest! I'll even do extra duties at the Snack J."_

She threw her hands in the air and screamed, completely outraged. _"I'm going to KILL him!" _Ryu couldn't help but laugh, and was quickly reprimanded. _"Do you think this is funny Ryu?"_

"Actually, I do. I'm sure Joe didn't mean for Jinpei to interpret it this way."

"It's not funny! Already he knows at least ten new curse words, and now he wants a little brother! What's next!"

"Go easy on him Jun. Remember, he's supposed to be recovering from a heart attack."

"Oh I will Ryu, but he'd better not be anywhere near me when he gets out!"

************

The days passed slowly. Per Joe's request, he was moved into Ken's room, where he constantly stood watch over his friend. He refused to leave under any circumstances, and turned down most meals and sleep. When exhaustion did come, he didn't lie down, but drowsed in the chair beside Ken with his head propped against the wall. Though no one said anything, there was obvious concern. He was starting to look disheveled, and his own health seemed to be deteriorating. The concerned party, mainly Nambu and the nursing staff, knew it would do no good to act upon it; Joe was not one to back down.

In the beginning it wasn't too difficult, but seeing Ken day in and day out, completely unresponsive, was beginning to take its toll. He went through the usual routine, talking about the day, the weather, the others. Since he hadn't left the hospital room, it was getting harder to find things to talk about.

__

"Hey Ken, it's day number twenty and I really have to admit, I'm getting worn out. The ISO Council asked Hakase to hire a "temporary" commander, seeing that you're out of commission for a while. He asked me what I thought about the idea, which was stupid. I gave up my transpower band and said if we get a new commander, I resign. Hakase told me to be more understanding, but I told him I don't take orders from anyone except you, and I won't work under anyone except you. He thought I was going to the extreme, but then he asked the others and they did the same."

He took Ken's hand and squeezed tightly. The tears were coming again, as they had before, and he wiped them away. _"Why couldn't you come to me Ken? Why'd you have to run off and play the hero? We need you. Gatchaman is more than just a team, it's a family, and we work together, or not at all. I used to not understand that, but now I do. I have so much more to live for, and so do you."_

As he talked, his eyes and opened and closed drowsily. The fatigue was beginning to take over, and he laid his head against the wall_. "I'm tired Ken, so tired. I wish all of this could end right now." _Silently hesaid a prayer, then whispered_, "Good night, and dream in peace."_

************

**__**

Endless visions of blood, and death haunted him, and his heart felt like exploding from the agony. 

He could see Joe and wanted to call out to him, but couldn't find his voice. In desperation he rose, screaming as the pain ripped across his body. _"Oh God, the pain! It hurts, Joe, help me!"_

He felt someone pressing against his shoulders; they eased him back down to the bed. _"Ken, it's ok. Everything will be all right now. I'm here."_

"I don't want to die Joe. I don't…"

"It's ok. You're not going to. The doctors saved your life. It's over now. You're fine."

"But it hurts. Why does it hurt so bad?"

Uncustomary for Joe, he wrapped his arms around Ken's body and held him tightly_. "Well, for starters, they took four bullets out of you, not to mention the other patchwork they had to do. You had us all worried."_

Ken was surprised by Joe's appearance; dark rings surrounded his eyes, and he looked pale and weak. _"How long were you here again? You look like hell!"_

"As long as you've been in a coma, three weeks. And thanks for the compliment."

"Why'd you stay so long?"

"Because that's what friends do, and I wanted to be here when you came to. I wanted to tell you I was sorry for running off to get the car. If I hadn't, I would have been there…"

"When I did what I would have done anyway."

"Huh?"

"I'd have taken on those guys anyway, whether you were there or not. Actually, if you had been there, they probably would have shot you up too. Then you couldn't have come by and saved my life again."

"Again? When was the first time?" 

"Ten years ago, when we first met at the hospital."

"The hospital? You HATED me!"

"No, I hated myself. You were just annoying. Some things never change."

"Excuse me?"

"Guess I finally need to fess up, huh?"

"All this may not have happened had you done it a lot sooner."

"Oh, it would've." Ken sighed and ran his fingers through his hair_. "Ok…Age seven, father is gone, I'm a complete emotional wreck. What's the point in living right? An easy way to end it all would have been to just kill myself."_

"Or so you thought."

"I did more than just think it Joe, I almost did it. I stole one of Hakase's guns and shot myself. Thought I was gone for sure, but shit, I couldn't even do that right!"

"Good thing."

He appreciated the sentiment, but didn't comment on it_. "I was so angry at the doctors for bringing me back, I got even worse. It got to the point where no one could handle my self-destructive behavior, not even Hakase. He had no choice but to have me institutionalized."_

"Oh, so that explains it! When do I come in?"

"Now. Hakase told me all about what happened to you and he said I should try to help you. I refused, but he insisted, and practically dragged me to your room. The minute I saw you I hated you, and wanted absolutely no part of your life. I kept thinking ' So you lost your mother and father, and almost died yourself. Who cares?' I certainly didn't."

"The feelings were mutual, my friend."

"I'm sure they were. Anyway, after being with you for a while, I began to realize you and I weren't all that different, except that you were still fighting, and I had already given up. It was then, though you weren't even aware of it, that you changed my life. I figured if you could fight, so could I. You gave me a reason to want to live."

Joe shook his head, puzzled_. "And you could never tell me this? It might have saved me a lot of self-pity and hatred!"_

"I tried, while you were in cardiac arrest. I wanted to return the favor, but didn't know how. I was ashamed of what I had done, and thought you would respect me less as a commander. It showed a weakness in me, one I still have now."

"We respected you less because you ran away and backed down from your duty as commander. People just don't resign without a damn good reason, and you didn't have one. We figured you were just being an…."

"Immature coward? I was, and I know that now. God I wish I could've found out sooner, so I could change what happened."

"Jinpei told me you took on that group at Pearl City because you had to prove yourself a worthy commander. You earned our respect a long time ago Ken. The only person you had to prove worthy to was yourself. Have you done that?"

Ken smiled appreciatively_. "Yea Joe, I think I have. It's time to start over again, and it's good to know I have a fellow Washio beside me."_

"A what?"

"My brother. You know him. Georgio Asakurai, Joseph Asakura…Washio."

"Ken, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I had this vision after I got shot. Father told me everything. He told me about the affair, why he had to leave me, how he really felt, everything."

"You saw it too?"

"Too? When did you…?"

"The first time I went into cardiac arrest. My parents were there, and so was your father. He told me the same thing. Hakase said I hallucinated it all, but I thought for sure it was real."

"Well, I guess that confirms it huh? We really are brothers."

"Doesn't make us much different than before."

"Yea, I know, but at least I know now where your insanity came from." 

They laughed a while, then looked at each other. _"Joe? Isn't it strange how revelations occur? We both had to practically die to figure out ourselves, and each other."_

"What can I say? We go to the extreme."

"Yes Joe, you're absolutely right. It's what we do best."


	4. Chapter Four: Epilogue

EPILOGUE: ****

PART FOUR: EPILOGUE

By: Jenny Lambert

Ken and Joe entered the Snack J, and were instantly greeted by flying glasses, pots, and pans. _"You two! We need to talk, NOW!"_

Joe cocked an eyebrow_. "We do? About what?"_

"Since you asked, let's start with you. Explain to me how Jinpei got the idea that if you ask me out on a date, he's going to get a little brother."

He looked innocently towards the ceiling and cursed under his breath_. "I didn't mean it that way! Besides, he was supposed to forget the whole conversation! When we were on the ship headed to Pearl City, he showed me a picture from a nude magazine and asked me about it. What was I supposed to say?"_

"Oh I don't know, maybe the truth!? He thinks Ken won't ask me out because he doesn't want to make a baby with me!"

Ken was suddenly into the conversation, slightly agitated himself_. "How did I get thrown into this?"_

"He asked me why you won't ask Jun out. I didn't want to tell him you were too afraid to ask."

"I am not!"

"You are to!"

"Am NOT! Look, I'll prove it to you!" Turning to Jun he asked with sincerity_, "Will you go out on a date with me. It's not that I didn't notice you before. I just really didn't…"_

"No."

"…Think you'd want to. Did you just say no?"

Joe slapped his friend on the back_. "Looks like it's your turn to get chewed out!"_

"You're still mine Joe! We're not finished yet."

He extended a finger and cocked it at Jun._ "Hold on a second. You can't have both Ken and me. You have to choose."_

Ken grinned sarcastically_. "Looks like she's all yours. I just got turned down."_

It was Jun's turn to explain_. "I heard from Ryu, and I quote, 'There's nothing worse than an angry woman, except Jun'. Does this sound familiar?"_

Ryu got up from the table quickly as the glaring eyes moved towards him_. "Wow, look at the time!"_

"You told her I said that? Did you really want me dead?"

"No, I was trying to make her less angry."

Simultaneously, the others replied_. "It didn't work!" _There was a moment of silence, then everyone laughed, including Jun. Though she was still furious, she couldn't help but forgive them; they were a family, after all. 

Sheepishly, Ken turned back to her and whispered._ "You really serious about that no? I can pay all my debts, and Joe's, and pay for the date. See, I have money." _He removed his wallet and flashed the $100 bills._ "Something good came out of going to Pearl City. I got paid." _Handing over a few bills, he smiled deviously_. "That ought to cover it. Sure you won't reconsider? Maybe afterwards we can work on Jinpei's little brother."_

It was supposed to have been a joke, but Jun didn't see the humor and slugged him. At the sight, the others looked on astonished. Jinpei made the only comment. _"You're not going to let a girl hit you, are you Aniki?"_

"Your sister isn't a girl." He flinched as she hit him again, harder than the first time_. _

"Ken Washio, you're impossible!" Turning away, she stormed into the kitchen. 

Once she was gone, Joe started laughing. _"That was good, but you'll never get her to go with you that way_." He paused as he heard a scream, then a crash as something was thrown against the wall_. "I feel sorry for whatever is back there with her. It doesn't have a chance. By the way, did I hear you right in saying you have money?"_

"Yea, can you believe it? I got $3,000 just for flying into Pearl City."

"$3,000? Great, that should cover this then." He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed itover. Ken read it over quickly and gasped_. "$3,300? For what?"_

Joe ticked off each item on his fingers_. "One: $2,600 for the repair of the G-2. You did a lot more than just dent the fender. Two: $500 for the repair to my trailer. Three: $20 for the beer you drank. The rest I think I can handle."_

"Thanks, that leaves me with about $30, or am I going to have to buy you dinner too?"

"Nope, Jinpei's taking care of that."

Surprised by hearing his name, Jinpei peered up from behind the deck of cards he was holding._ "I heard my name. What'd I do now?"_

"You're buying us something to eat. We never did get around to it before."

"Joe, you know I won that bet fair and square. You cracked first!"

"Yea, I know, but you also got me in some hot water with Jun, and you owe me! Speaking of bets, I hear you're good at poker Ryu."

"I'm not too bad. Care to challenging me?"

Ken looked at Joe and winked. Though it was a well-kept secret, he knew Joe played poker better than anyone. Ryu was soon going to find this out the hard way_. "You're on!"_

Just as they were about to sit down, a call came over Ken's transpower band. _"Sorry to interrupt your evening, but we just received a priority one distress call, and need you to investigate. Assemble the team and meet in my office for further instructions."_

"Be there in five."

Jun eyed her commander as she came from the kitchen. The others did likewise, all anxiously awaiting his orders. He smiled at his fellow teammates; the pride was evident. "_Team, you heard the Doctor. Let's move out!"_

Honored to be serving under Ken, all four replied. _"Roger!"_


End file.
